Wait For Health Ministry Statement Says Minister Accused Of Skipping Quarantine

---

Plantation, Industries, and Commodities Minister Khairuddin Aman Razali has urged all parties to wait for an official statement to be issued by the Ministry of Health (MOH) over his trip to Turkey last month
Khairuddin, who is also Kuala Nerus MP, reaffirmed his desire to abide by the rules set by MOH after he was accused of flouting the 14-day quarantine which those who enter the country have to abide by
"Just wait for the statement, including the official results of the MOH Covid-19 test
"As a responsible cabinet minister, I will abide by any statement issued by the MOH," he said at an awards ceremony in Kuala Terengganu last night according to a report in Harian Metro
He also confirmed with the media that he had taken a Covid-19 test upon arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) after his trip to Turkey from July 3 to 7 and that he had commenced attending the Dewan Rakyat sitting on July 13
Yesterday Seputeh DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) leaders lodged a police report against Khairuddin over the minister's alleged breach of quarantine rules
In the police report sighted by Malaysiakini, Seputeh Dapsy chief Diccam Lourdes Lourdhusamy urged police to take stern action under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988
Diccam noted that Turkey has recorded many Covid-19 cases and thousands have succumbed to the disease. He expressed concern that Khairuddin could have carried it to Parliament
For the record, at the time of Khairuddin's visit from July 3 to 7, more than 5,600 new Covid-19 cases and 93 deaths were reported in Turkey
Turkey has had more than 250,000 Covid-19 cases and 6,061 fatalities from the disease in total
Previously, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok accused Khairuddin of taking the personal trip to Turkey without undergoing the mandatory quarantine upon his return and attending the Dewan Rakyat just six days after coming back
Sources close to the minister were reported as saying Khairuddin tested negative for Covid-19 upon his return, and Turkey was a “green” country at the time
However, Covid-19 has a purported incubation period of around 14 days and the number of cases reported in Turkey during Khairuddin’s visit calls the "green zone" claims into question
Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the ministry is investigating the allegations against Khairuddin. - Mkini

---