Annuar Urges Illegal Migrant Workers Refugees To Undergo Covid 19 Test

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Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa has urged illegal migrant workers and refugees who attended the tabligh gathering at the Sri Petaling Mosque to voluntarily show up for Covid-19 health screening
This came after the authority said it is tracking the whereabouts of Rohingyas who attended the gathering held between Feb 27 and March 2 in the capital
It had been speculated that the illegal migrants also participated in the religious gathering that attracted a strong crowd of 16,000
Zooming in on illegal migrants and refugees in Kuala Lumpur, Annuar (above) said he was made to understand that they were either coming from the seven tahfiz centres that have not registered with the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) or they were attached to seven other NGOs groups
"We have seven unregistered tahfiz centres which were involved in the tabligh gathering. Several religious institutions are known to be involved in activities that had caused concern to the health authority
"I was made known that there were NGOs,  seven of them,  involved the members who hold the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' (UNHCR) cards," he said
"I will contact all seven NGOs leaders and ask for their cooperation in conveying the messages to the members," added Annuar
"They have to understand (we are) not taking a punitive measure but this is more toward the civil responsibility of each individual," he told the media after chairing a Federal Territories National Security Council Task Force meeting today
The UNHCR cardholders included the Rohingya refugees who traded and sold goods together with local people, according to Annuar, who is also the Ketereh MP
He said part of these groups declined to conduct health screening voluntarily fearing possible immigration action that would be taken against them given their status
He, however, cautioned that this could possibly harm the public if they were infected by the virus
"They are our responsibility too regardless of their nationality," he said
"We urge them not to think only about their fear but prioritise their health. Failing so, it is they themselves and others who will face the consequences," he said
He, however declined to reveal the figure of the illegal migrants and Rohingya
The gathering at Sri Petaling Mosque in Kuala Lumpur brought together Islamic missionaries from across the country and who would later return to their hometowns for missionary work
However, the gathering became a Covid-19 cluster of infection and returning to their hometowns meant they also brought with them the virus, spreading it across the country
As of 12pm yesterday, Malaysia recorded a total 900 Covid positive cases with two deaths. Of this, close to 65 percent or a total of 576 cases were linked to the tabligh gathering where a 34-year-old man had died. - Mkini

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