By Ashwin Kumar
SHAH ALAM, April 21 — The Federal government is mulling the decision to allow university students to return home under strict standard operating procedures (SOP), says Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The minister for security cluster said the Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) will discuss the detailed SOP with the Health Ministry (MOH).
“The Special Ministerial Committee on the movement control order (MCO) have discussed this matter yesterday and may allow students who have stayed on campus since the beginning of the MCO to return home. This is because they have been under a situation similar to a self-quarantine.
“The MOHE found that the students did not show any signs of infection and there was no Covid-19 cluster detected involving university campuses.
“The National Security Council (NSC), MOHE and MOE will streamline the SOP if a decision is made,” Ismail Sabri told a press conference in Putrajaya today.
The ongoing MCO was enforced on March 18 and is scheduled to end on April 28.
Ismail Sabri said the authorities must also take into account that some 100,000 students may have to undergo screening for Covid-19 before they are given clearance to travel home.
On April 13, Ismail Sabri said students in both public and private higher education institutions (IPT) who are staying on campus are not allowed to return to their homes.
He said the Federal government was forced to make the decision following fears of a new Covid-19 cluster in the event of a mass movement involving the students.
