KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 — The government will set up transit quarantine centres for illegal immigrants in four locations in Sabah to curb the spread of Covid-19 among detainees at immigration detention depots.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said illegal immigrants who were arrested would be screened and quarantined at these centres to ensure that only those free of Covid-19 would be sent to the detention depots.
The transit centres are at Dewan Masyarakat Menggatal, Kota Kinabalu; Dewan Masyarakat Pekan Kinarut, Papar; and Dewan Sibuga, Batu 5 and Dewan Sri Gum-Gum, Batu 16, both in Sandakan.
“All newly-arrested illegal immigrants will undergo Covid-19 screening at the transit quarantine centres for illegal immigrants. If found positive, they will be sent to hospital for treatment while those negative will undergo compulsory 14-day quarantine at these centres.
“After completing the 14-day quarantine and if their second Covid-19 test is still negative, they will be sent to the detention depots,” he said at a virtual news conference streamed live from his residence via the Defence Ministry Facebook today.
Asked on the need to increase medical facilities in Sabah, he said the Malaysian Armed Forces field hospital in Tawau would be activated to treat non-Covid-19 cases, including emergency, trauma surgery and maternity services.
He said the 100-bed hospital would be staffed by eight medical officers and 54 personnel of other ranks.
“There will be a commandant, five specialist doctors, three medical officers and other personnel,” said Ismail Sabri, who is also Defence Minister.
He also said the Royal Malaysian Air Force would be conducting daily flights to Sabah to provide logistic support to the Health Ministry, including ferrying medical personnel and Covid-19 test samples to laboratories in the peninsula.
He reminded the public on the travel restriction imposed between Sabah and the peninsula, Sarawak and Labuan from October 12 to 25.
However, special permission to travel will be given to cases involving emergencies, deaths and essential services, he added.
— Bernama
