MALAYSIA is suspending with immediate effect the registration of students from the Chinese city of Wuhan and the larger Hubei province, said Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

The health minister said this applies to all education institutions in the country, and that the measure will be in place until a date to be announced.

“Students from other states in China will be allowed to register to study in Malaysia, but will undergo close monitoring by education institutions,” he told reporters at a daily coronavirus briefing in Putrajaya today.

He added that educators, administrators and students who recently visited Hubei will be placed under observation in isolation for 14 days.

“This applies to everyone, regardless of whether they are Malaysians or not. They will be observed for 14 days, as that’s the assumed incubation period of the virus.”

He said Malaysia has not received any request from China to repatriate its citizens.

“We have not received any such requests, but we will check with the Foreign Ministry on this from time to time.”

It was reported that Beijing will send out charter planes to bring back home Hubei residents who are in other countries.

This is in view of the “practical difficulties that Hubei citizens, especially those from Wuhan, have faced overseas”, said a government spokesman.

Dr Dzulkefly added that there are no plans to stop celebrations for Thaipusam, which falls on February 7.

“We have no plans to stop it. But people should take the usual precautions, such as (wearing) masks and (using) hand sanitiser.” – January 31, 2020.