KUALA LUMPUR – An aide to Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan tested positive for Covid-19 three days after attending a National Security Council special meeting on the pandemic on January 13.
Malaysiakini reported that a letter addressed to Saravanan claims he has been identified as a “close contact” of the infected individual, who is his political secretary.
“Contact tracing has identified you as a close contact because you were involved in an NSC special meeting on January 13, which was also attended by the patient,” the letter reportedly said.
"As such, you are asked to immediately self-quarantine effective January 16-22 to break the transmission of Covid-19,” Malaysiakini today quoted the letter as saying.
The letter was sent from the management services division of the Human Resources Ministry.
The meeting, which is held everyday, is chaired by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and attended by several senior ministers as well as heads of government agencies.
They include Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Education Minister Radzi Jidin, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, and Armed Forces chief Tan Sri Affendi Buang.
It is uncertain if the others present for the meeting on January 13 have also been asked to take similar precautionary measures as Saravanan.
This case comes just a week after several ministers tested positive for Covid-19.
After Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed announced that he was positive on January 10, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun also tested positive.
All three had attended a Bersatu event prior to the revelation by Mustapa.
Prior to this, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Zulkifli Mohamad al-Bakri had confirmed testing positive for Covid-19 in October 2021. – The Vibes, January 17, 2021
