KUALA LUMPUR – There have been mistakes made by government agencies, admitted Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin amid concerns over how unvaccinated individuals could have left the country to perform their umrah pilgrimages and brought back the Omicron variant.
He was quoted by Bernama as saying that the ministry will raise the issue with other agencies of how Omicron-positive travellers with no vaccination records managed to enter the country.
Yesterday, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin revealed that 17 out of 122 individuals who tested positive for the Omicron variant as of January 4 are unvaccinated against Covid-19.
In a press conference, he said all 17 individuals, or 14% of those confirmed to be infected with the new variant, are imported cases, involving 10 Malaysian citizens and seven non-citizens.
“This is a violation of the standard operating procedures as only those who have been vaccinated should have been allowed to travel overseas.”
Meanwhile, Hamzah issued a stern warning to refugees, reminding them to follow the laws of the land.
He reminded refugees that if any of them “naik kepala” (go overboard), he is always ready to enforce the law.
“If anyone violates the law, action can be taken, that is certain,” Hamzah told the press at Taman Sri Nanding in Hulu Langat.
He added that refugees with United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) cards have been an obstacle.
For two years, he said, the government has been trying to make refugees with UNHCR cards understand their position in the country.
“They are not citizens but refugees, and must understand that Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention.
“We are only helping on humanitarian grounds.”
Recently, a video of a person believed to be a Rohingya minor using certain tactics while begging for money went viral on social media.
The video showed the child with cash in his hands, tapping on a car window and demanding money. – The Vibes, January 7, 2021
