THE welfare of foreigners stuck in their flats at Selangor Mansion and Malayan Mansion under the enhanced movement-control order (EMCO) is the responsibility of their respective high commissions, said Ismail Sabri Yaakob today.

The senior minister said 97% of the residents of the two blocks in Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur, are foreign nationals.

Most of them are from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The two buildings were placed under the EMCO yesterday after 15 Covid-19 cases were detected. Under the lockdown, residents are not allowed to leave the premises, even to buy food and essentials.

“The Foreign Ministry has contacted all the high commissions concerned, and it is now their responsibility to look after the welfare of their citizens,” Ismail Sabri told a press conference carried live on Facebook.

However, he said, the authorities have given the affected residents an alternative.

“They can approach the operations centre set up in the area and ask the personnel there to help buy food and other essential goods. But the residents will have to pay for the items.”

Earlier today, residents of the two flats told The Malaysian Insight that they are worried about not getting enough food supply.

They said the EMCO was sprung on them yesterday, leaving them with no time to stock up on food and other essentials.

Tajuddin Farook, who has been living at Selangor Mansion for six years, said several residents struggled to find food yesterday, and a restaurant that got to know of the situation provided dinner for some people at both flats.

There are 160 units per block, with an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 people residing in the two buildings.

The EMCO imposed on Selangor Mansion and Malayan Mansion is the fourth such order issued since the MCO came into force on March 18.

The first lockdown on two areas in Simpang Renggam, Johor, was enforced on March 27. The second was on Sg Lui, Selangor, on March 30, and the third was on Menara City One in Kuala Lumpur on March 31.

The government has said it will provide basic supplies to EMCO areas as health authorities track down Covid-19 infections in the communities. – April 8, 2020.