SEPANG – Fully vaccinated travellers from overseas wishing to undergo compulsory home quarantine can apply to do so through the Home Quarantine Application (HQA) portal on the Health Ministry’s website from tomorrow, said its minister, Khairy Jamaluddin.
“The application must be made seven to 10 days prior to arriving in Malaysia,” he said, adding that travellers arriving here from September 28 can apply on its website here.
Previously, he said, travellers’ applications for home quarantine were made through email at [email protected], causing a backlog of more than 6,000 applications.
“With the existence of this HQA portal, the management of applications can be done better. After this, no more emails. One only needs to go to the MoH website, then to the Home Quarantine section and fill out the form,” he said.
He told the media this after visiting the private Covid-19 health screening centre at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here today, accompanied by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) chairman Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir.
Khairy said that through the HQA portal, approval for quarantine applications will be received within three days of submitting a complete application.
He said the conditions for undergoing compulsory home quarantine will be stated on the portal and, among them, would be that the home or residence has enough rooms and toilets to ensure there is no mingling with other family members.
He said the MoH has a specific method to ensure those undergoing home quarantine comply with their home surveillance order, including, among others, wearing the digital detector surveillance wristband.
“It’s a pilot project going on where we issue a bracelet that they have to wear during the duration of the quarantine. Once this project has been piloted through the number of people we are targeting, we will see whether it is feasible or not,” he said.
On his visit to the KLIA today, Khairy said it was aimed at reviewing preparations for the opening of the country’s borders under the Reopening Safely Malaysia strategy.
Reopening Safely Malaysia is a strategy to revive the country from the Covid-19 health and economic crisis.
“We are making preparations for the reopening of our borders. We want to see our readiness at our country’s entry points, namely KLIA, and steps that we can jointly implement, especially with MAHB, (such as) what are the safer as well as a more efficient and systematic process flows for those who want to come back to Malaysia,” he said.
He said among the improvements that could be made at KLIA is facilitating procedures for travellers by reducing the number of forms they have to fill.
He said the matter will be discussed at the Covid-19 Pandemic Management Special Committee level to simplify the procedures, either through the MySejahtera app or by reducing the number of stations that travellers have to go through. – Bernama, September 20, 2021
