Putrajaya: We will help but foreign embassies responsible for own citizens during MCO

KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — Following reports of migrant communities struggling with food and jobs during the ongoing movement control order (MCO), the Malaysian government has said foreign embassies in Malaysia are responsible for making sure that their citizens have access to food during this time.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaacob said that the government was ready to assist them with food supplies but their own embassies must take responsibility for their people.

“We have decided that each country’s embassy must be responsible for their own citizens in Malaysia.

“They are required to report to the district disaster management committee for food distribution. Those in Kuala Lumpur can do so with the Crisis Management Centre under DBKL,” he said during his daily press conference here.

Ismail Sabri said that as a responsible government, it would not let anyone, regardless of nationality, starve under the MCO but the embassies must ensure they get help as needed. This policy extends to refugees as well.

“This applies to all foreign nationals and workers. Nepalese, Bangladeshis, Indonesians... They have an embassy here, they need to be responsible,” he said.

“We can help them coordinate and purchase supplies if they need help.”

A report in an online portal yesterday said that migrant communities were struggling during the MCO with no jobs, which in turn meant they had no money to buy food.

Many were also living in squalid conditions, making it hard to maintain hygiene and social distancing.

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