Maids currently overseas not allowed to return yet, says Ismail Sabri

PUTRAJAYA: Domestic helpers employed in Malaysia who are stuck in their home countries because of the movement control order (MCO) are not allowed to return yet, says Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

“For now, we are not allowing this.

"We will discuss this, and when the time comes, they can return to work here, ” he said on Wednesday (June 24).

He said the country had not opened its gates to allow foreigners employed in most sectors to return, particularly those from high-risk countries adding that this includes maids.

He said the government was slowly relaxing regulations in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic but pointed out that this needed to be done in stages.

“It is not that we are stopping people from coming forever, but we need to do things slowly and in stages, ” he said.

On another issue, the minister said that the crews of ships could pass through the country either to board the ships that they were assigned to or to go to the airport once their job was done.

However, the permission is only for a direct trip from the airport to the port to board the ship or from the ship straight to the airport to return home.

“For this, we have no objections, and we have not prevented the crews of any ships from going to the ship or to the airport. However, they cannot detour and stay in a hotel for a few days or go to a mall.

"It is straight to the port or airport, ” he said.