KUALA LUMPUR – Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba has been instructed to observe the home surveillance order (HSO) until December 18 after being found to have been in close contact with a Covid-19 patient.
Dr Adham, who was absent during his ministry’s budget debate in Parliament yesterday, said he met a reporter, who has since tested positive for the virus, at his office on Saturday.
The patient is believed to be with a private production house.
“Until the end of the HSO, I will continue to work from home, including chairing meetings and discussions through virtual conferences,” said Dr Adham in a statement today.
“No one is exempted from complying with orders issued by the authorities, especially when it involves the prevention or treatment of Covid-19. Hopefully, we can all play a role in fighting Covid-19.”
Dr Adham’s absence from the Dewan Rakyat during the committee-stage debate on his ministry’s allocation under Budget 2021 raised questions, with opposition MPs saying it was important for him to have been in the House given the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali, when winding up the ministry’s Supply Bill 2021, insisted that he is eligible to answer lawmakers’ queries, and said Dr Adham’s absence should not be questioned. – The Vibes, December 10, 2020
