Ismail Sabri speaks at the press conference on the MCO. — Bernama file photo
KUCHING: Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob appeals to parents to refrain from bringing their children to crowded places as the battle against Covid-19 pandemic is not won yet.
“The safety of children is the parents’ responsibility. So as parents, we have to ask ourselves whether is it really safe to bring our children to crowded places like shopping malls, supermarkets or open markets now?” said Ismail Sabri during a press conference at Putrajaya today.
While the federal government currently does not have regulations to prevent parents from doing so, Ismail Sabri said he would hold discussions with relevant authorities to regulate such behaviour if parents refused to heed the advice.
“If the incidents of parents bringing their children to crowded places keep happening, the federal government can insert a regulation to make it an offence for parents who insist on bringing their children to such places.”
For now, Ismail Sabri said the government has no intention to do so but urged parents to take preventive measures and exercise self-discipline by avoiding crowded places with their children.
Meanwhile, the senior minister said a discussion will be held with Ministry of Human Resources to consider whether to provide each foreign worker with some sort of identification showing the status of their Covid-19 test to allay public concerns.
Ismail Sabri previously said all foreign workers in the country will have to undergo Covid-19 testing as the country continues to keep the outbreak under control.
He also pointed out the emergence of new Covid-19 clusters in Peninsular Malaysia was not due to the non-adherence of standard operating procedures by employers at workplace but other reasons.