PETALING JAYA, Oct 6: A PKR MP says the Covid-19 case involving Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri was proof the government made a mistake in its approach to travellers returning from Sabah.
Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil said Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s decision not to screen or quarantine people returning from Sabah before Sept 27 was a mistake, as Zulkifli had flown back before the Sabah polls.
“Zulkifli’s case is the strongest evidence that Ismail’s decision not to screen and quarantine those returning from Sabah before Sept 27 was not based on evidence and medical science. It was the wrong decision,” he said in a Facebook post today.
Fahmi said the government had also made a mistake in allowing those returning from Sabah after the polls to remove their surveillance wristband upon testing negative in their first Covid-19 test.
“It is another decision that is not based on medical science facts and is incorrect. Also a wrong decision,” he said.
According to social media posts, Zulkifli had been in Sandakan and Tuaran, before returning to the peninsula on Sept 24.
He had also attended a string of events in Kelantan, Terengganu and Negeri Sembilan before he was confirmed as infected with Covid-19.
On Sept 27, Ismail had maintained that there was no need for people returning from Sabah to undergo the full 14-day quarantine period once they tested negative.
On Sept 13, before the Sabah polls, Ismail said no quarantine was required for people returning from Sabah, saying the situation in Tawau at the time was under control.
Electoral watchdog Bersih 2.0 had also called for careful consideration towards any quarantine on those returning to the peninsula from Sabah, saying such a measure may discourage voters from casting their votes on Sept 26.
