Foreigners At Masjid India Flats Must Buy Own Food: Minister

Putrajaya has told embassies to protect the welfare of their citizens in Selangor Mansion and Malayan Mansion.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 — Foreign nationals comprise 97 per cent of Selangor Mansion and Malayan Mansion flat residents at Jalan Masjid India here who are under a total lockdown, Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today.

As such, the senior defence minister said the Foreign Ministry has already informed the respective embassies to take responsibility for the welfare of their citizens in the area that was put under an Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) since yesterday.

“However, we give an alternative to those residing in these two buildings — they will be allowed to use the operations centre in the premises to help them buy food.

“So, if they need food, they can call the operations centre in the building to buy food, which will be placed in a specific place for them to collect, but they need to pay for it themselves. So they need to pay for each necessity they need and we will help arrange for what they need,” Ismail Sabri told a press conference.

The EMCO at Selangor Mansion and Malayan Mansion, which affects about 6,000 residents in 365 residential and commercial units in the buildings, prohibits people from exiting and entering the area under lockdown until all residents have been screened for Covid-19.

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said yesterday that it would take health authorities about 10 days to do screening and decontamination at Selangor Mansion and Malayan Mansion, which means that the total lockdown could last until April 16.

The EMCO has previously been imposed on several residences in three districts: Menara City One on Jalan Munshi Abdullah in Kuala Lumpur; Hulu Langat, Selangor; and Simpang Renggam, Kluang, Johor.

The Welfare Department has been supplying food to residents under lockdown in Simpang Renggam and Hulu Langat. The Star reported last Thursday that the Welfare Department also gave food supplies to residents at Menara City One who mainly comprise foreigners.

Ismail Sabri also said today that the government’s Covid-19 fund has received RM22.66 million in cash donations. Yayasan Kebajikan Negara (YKN) has spent RM5.68 million under Phase 1 of the MCO to purchase daily necessities for those affected by the outbreak, especially those living in EMCO areas.

According to the minister, RM9.06 million will be channeled under Phase 2 of the MCO to YKN and the Women, Family, and Community Development Ministry to increase welfare assistance.

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