STARTING today, all foreign nationals entering the country will have to pay RM4,700 to undergo the 14-day mandatory quarantine, said Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

This will also include Malaysian permanent residents returning to the country.

Foreigners and Malaysian PR holders will not be subsidised by the Malaysian government. They will have to bear the full cost of the quarantine, said Ismail who is also the defence minister.

Those sharing rooms during the quarantine period will have to pay an additional RM700 per person. Children below the age of six are exempted.

Ismail said the RM4,700 is broken down to RM2,600 for fixed operating charges while the balance of RM2,100 will be the cost of accommodation.

This decision was made by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) on September 18.

Meanwhile, Ismail said for Malaysian citizens, the government has decided the subsidy of RM2,600 will remain.

“They will only have to pay the accommodation cost of RM2,100 as said before, while the operating cost of RM 2,600 will be borne by the government,” he said in a press statement today.

Those travelling to Malaysia are required to undergo Covid-19 testing and a mandatory 14-day quarantine at a facility designated by the government.

A total of 33,534 individuals have arrived in the country and have been placed in 67 hotels and eight other premises, including public training institutes (ILA) from 24 July to 23 September 2020.

More than 8,000 underwent mandatory quarantine while 103 others were hospitalised.

The country reported 147 new Covid-19 infections yesterday bringing the number of cases to 10,505, with 770 active cases.

Three deaths were also reported, bringing the death toll to 133. – September 24, 2020.