This petition humbly request EXCEPTION TO THE RULE for Malaysian Citizens returning from abroad to be EXCLUDED from the cost of quarantine.

Based on the latest directive by the Malaysian Government, effective 1st June 2020 All Malaysians returning to their country will have to bear 50% of the cost of Covid-19 hotel quarantine. The minimum amount is RM75 per adult per night or RM50 per child per night for the entire length of the 14 days quarantine from arrival at any port of entry.

Although the cost may seem miniscule to some, the Government did not took into account that from 16 March 2020 when the Government announcement that Malaysia will undergo a strict Movement Control Order (MOC) to start effectively on 18 March 2020, all international flights to Malaysia had been cancelled or rescheduled. The extension of the Movement Control Order every 2 weeks meant that flights continued to be cancelled with a limited tentative stand-by schedule at 3-5 times the normal cost until now, 3 months from the announcement.

Some Malaysian stranded abroad have exhausted all their financial means to barely sustain the prolonged Movement Control Order for 3 months. Additional financial strain of minimally RM1.050 per person for the 14 days quarantine unfairly leaves some Malaysian stranded abroad hopeless of the possibility of returning to Malaysia. There are families and individuals who are already overstaying beyond their short-stay visa. Their only option is to beg or borrow at high cost which inevitably leaves them in debt upon fulfilment of the 14 days quarantine with little to no certainty of the possibility to earn an income enough to survive and pay back the debt.

As such this petition IMPLORES the Malaysian Government to consider the additional financial burden that may impact their lives physically and mentally if it is to be born from the mandatory 14 days quarantine upon arrival in Malaysia. This petition humbly request EXCEPTION TO THE RULE for Malaysian Citizens returning from abroad to be EXCLUDED from the cost of quarantine.