MALAYSIA will maintain tight border restrictions even after lifting the movement-control order (MCO) as they have been effective in containing the spread of Covid-19, said Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

“When other countries ended their lockdowns, they also lifted their border restrictions. But we will tighten ours,” said the director-general of health at his daily press briefing in Putrajaya today.

He said border and movement controls were two of the most important factors in Malaysia’s success in containing the spread of Covid-19.

“The most important is border control as there are many Covid-19 cases brought back by returning Malaysians.”

He said this is evident in the number of newly imported cases in the country.

“Altogether, there are now 154 (imported cases). Of today’s 57 new cases, 25 are from Malaysians returning from abroad while local transmission is only 32,” said Noor Hisham.

He was commenting on the resumption of domestic flights and suggestions to resume flights to other Southeast Asian countries.

Meanwhile, all returning Malaysians, including students, will have to undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine.

“We know there are many overseas students who want to return. They can do so, but they will have to be quarantined for 14 days as there is no vaccine or treatment for Covid-19 yet,” said Noor Hisham.

He was responding to a question about Malaysian students who want to return from Egypt. There are an estimated 10,000 Malaysian students in the North African country. – April 30, 2020.