Malaysians in Singapore can return to attend funerals: Minister

Those who return will be allowed at burial ceremony for maximum three hours and have to be clad in PPE

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians in Singapore can return to attend the funerals of their immediate family members without having to undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine period as it is considered an emergency, said Malaysian Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday.

He said those who return will be allowed at the burial ceremony for a maximum of three hours and they have to be clad in full personal protective equipment, reported The Star.

"They will be escorted by frontliners to their family members at the burial site for a maximum of three hours.

"After that, they will be sent back to Singapore," he said during his daily briefing on the conditional movement control order (MCO).

Mr Ismail Sabri said this was in line with present standard operating procedures and such cases had happened before.

Malaysia reported 187 new cases yesterday, with illegal migrants held at a detention centre accounting for most of them, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 7,604.

The Health Ministry said no new deaths were recorded and the total remains at 115.

SOUTH-EAST ASIA

In the rest of South-east Asia, Indonesia's military ordered the deployment of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and police yesterday to enforce rules on wearing masks and safe distancing after reports of people flouting them.

It confirmed 415 new cases, bringing its total number of infections to 23,165, the Health Ministry said.

It also confirmed 27 new deaths, bringing the total of fatalities to 1,418,

About 340,000 officers were deployed yesterday across four provinces to ensure the transition to the "new normal", Indonesian military chief Hadi Tjahjanto said on Monday.

"We will monitor people to ensure people are wearing masks, and are also maintaining a safe distance from others."

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the measures will help protect people's health and the economy.

"We want to remain productive while still safe from Covid-19," he said, after inspecting a mall in Bekasi city.

"In the new normal the military and police will watch crowds to ensure people become more disciplined."

The enforcement measures come days after people flocked to local markets in the capital and its surrounding areas, many unmasked, buying new clothes for Hari Raya.

In the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would not allow students to go back to school until a vaccine is available.

Children were due to return to school at the end of August after classes for more than 25 million primary and secondary students were shut down in March.

Mr Duterte said the risk was too great, even if it held students back academically.

"For me, vaccine first. If the vaccine is already there, then it's okay," he added. "If no one graduates, then so be it."

The Philippines reported 13 deaths and 350 new cases yesterday. It now has 14,669 cases and 886 deaths.

Thailand yesterday extended an emergency decree to June 30. The state of emergency was declared in late March.

It reported three new cases and no new deaths, bringing its total to 3,045 confirmed cases and 57 fatalities. - THE STAR, REUTERS, AFP