Nadma: Foreign nationals must pay quarantine fees at international entry points

PUTRAJAYA (Bernama): Foreign nationals who wish to enter Malaysia, have signed the Letter of Undertaking and received the Travel Note should abide by the guidelines set by the government, including paying the quarantine charges at the International Entry Points.

The National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) said the government had issued such a directive as many non-Malaysians who are a Person Under Surveillance (PUS) at the quarantine stations failed to settle the payment, including the administrative and management charges until the final day of their quarantine.

Nadma said that non-Malaysians and their dependents will be charged RM150 per day based on the quarantine duration at hotel premises as stipulated by the Health Ministry as well as administration and management charges of RM2,600

In total, a non-Malaysian has to pay RM5,070 including RM250 for the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test upon arrival and RM120 for the Antigen Rapid Test Kit on the 13th day.

"The signed letter consists of a pledge to pay all the charges as explained in detail in the guidelines,” Nadma said in a statement on Monday (Nov 16) on the entry and quarantine process for non-Malaysian PUS arriving from overseas.

Nadma also explained that the Immigration Department (JIM) has the right to issue the Not-to-Land order for non-Malaysian passengers who fail to produce their Travel Note.

It said that before entering Malaysia, an individual has to comply with the entry regulations as stipulated by JIM or other government agencies.

Nadma also said that applicants must submit relevant documents together with a complete LoU via the authorised Malaysian Mission e-mail, at least three days before the departure date and if successful, a Travel Note will be issued by the Malaysian Mission.

Since July 24 this year, the government has decided that all individuals entering Malaysia from overseas are subjected to mandatory quarantine at the gazetted quarantine stations based on provisions under subsection 15(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in Malaysia.

Following the directive, all individuals returning from overseas and entering Malaysia via the International Entry Points have to bear the full quarantine cost.

However, Nadma has since received several complaints regarding payments by non-Malaysians. - Bernama