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PETALING JAYA: Foreign students will know on Friday if they will be allowed to return to Malaysia to continue their education, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (pix) said.
The Senior Minister (Security Cluster) said this included students pursuing higher education and those who were currently enrolled in international schools nationwide.
“We understand that not only higher education international students who have requested to return here to study, but even students of international schools.
“The special Cabinet committee on Covid-19 will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and whether to allow foreign students return to Malaysia.
“Inshaallah (God’s willing), I will make an announcement pertaining to this matter on Friday,” he said in a press conference after the committee meeting today.
Ismail was asked when foreign students would be allowed to reenter the country to continue their studies.
Many foreign students took the decision to leave Malaysia when the government announced that the country would be placed under movement control order (MCO) beginning March 18.
Since then, foreigners have not been allowed to enter the country as part of the government’s measures to minimise the spread of Covid-19 infection here.
On June 10, Education Minister Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin announced that students sitting for major public examinations and their international equivalents would be allowed to return to school beginning June 24, including those in international schools.
On a separate matter, Ismail said Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman (TAR) night market hawkers and traders who felt the SOPs by the government for the resumption of operations were too strict, could meet with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to share their opinions.
He said the government would listen to all suggestions, provided they go through the right channel.
“I ask that they meet with DBKL to discuss, and if DBKL also feels there needs some amendments to the SOPs, they can bring it to the special Cabinet committee for discussion.
“And if we feel that the SOPs can be amended, then will do it. But first, please negotiate with DBKL,” he said.
It was reported earlier yesterday that some 500 hawkers and traders at of the Lorong TAR night market have chosen to postpone their business resumption as the set SOP were too restrictive.
Lorong TAR Hawkers and Traders Association chairman Azkhalim Suradi said said this included the social distancing requirement of 1.5 meters between each stalls and the barring of children below 13 and those above 60.
