LAWMAKERS need not undertake new Covid-19 tests before attending the Dewan Rakyat sitting on July 13, said Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. 

The director-general of health said the MPs must however abide by all the standard operating procedures when attending the sitting. 

“Parliament must follow all the SOPs but this does not include swab tests. 

“If there are symptoms, then we will do swab tests.

“However, temperature checks and wearing face masks must be done,” he said at the ministry’s daily press conference in Putrajaya today. 

Noor Hisham also said the ministry won’t be doing swab tests for others, unless there are symptoms. 

The MPs had previously undergone tests when they attended the one-day Parliament sitting on May 18. 

However, Noor Hisham made no mention on the need for media to do the tests. 

Last week, Parliament communications officer Muhammad Afiq Mohd Hanif said that all MPs, cabinet members and government officials, as well as reporters covering proceedings, must be screened for Covid-19. 

He said the testing was a requirement from the ministry and must be done by July 10.

Members of the media are to foot the bill for their tests, he said, adding that it is still being discussed whether to allow them to get screened in the Parliament building aside from private clinics. – July 3, 2020.