2 M'sian Cabinet ministers test positive for Covid-19 in 2 days

Other close contacts have been advised to undergo screening as soon as possible.

Matthias Ang | January 11, 2021, 01:26 PM

On Jan. 10, Malaysia's Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Mustapa Mohamed, was confirmed to have tested positive for Covid-19, Malaysiakini reported.

The result was received by his office on Jan. 9, after he took a test upon his arrival in Kelantan.

As such, he has since been hospitalised for further observation and is reported to be in stable condition, The Star reported.

Another Cabinet minister, Rina Harun, has also tested for Covid-19.

According to The Star, the Women, Family and Community Development Minister was admitted into Hospital Sungai Buloh on January 11.

Rina received the results on Jan. 10.

This makes it two Cabinet ministers to test Covid-19 positive in as many days.

Met the PM before testing positive

Prior to his test, Mustapa had attended a Cabinet meeting on Jan. 6 with the country's Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, in attendance.

The two ministers who were sitting beside Mustapa have since been identified as close contacts, and placed in isolation.

Another minister who was in attendance highlighted that Muhyiddin himself was seated about seven chairs — approximately seven metres — away from Mustapa.

In addition, all ministers were socially distanced from each other, with shields placed in between them.

Also met the King at an earlier date

Muhyiddin was not the only major political figure whom Mustapa held a meeting with, within a week prior to his positive result.

On Jan. 4, Mustapa also met Sultan Abdullah, Malaysia's Yang di-Pertuan Agong,  according to a Facebook post by the Istana Negara.

Photos of the meeting were subsequently re-posted to Mustapa's own Facebook page on Jan. 8.
However The Malay Mail reported that in the wake of the announcement that Mustapa had tested positive for Covid-19, an aide to the minister's office said that photos posted to Mustapa's own page were not necessarily on the same day that they were taken.

As per his aide:

"For example, Datuk Mustapa met the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on Jan. 4, 2021 and not on Jan. 8, and with the health minister on Jan. 7."

Part of Malaysia's team overseeing the cancellation of HSR project

Mustapa is part of Malaysia's team handling negotiations over the recent cancellation of the Kuala Lumpur - Singapore High Speed Rail (KL-SG HSR) project.

He had previously announced on Jan. 1 that the original terms of the project inked in 2016 are no longer viable in light of Malaysia's post-Covid-19 economic situation.

That day, Mustapa had also reportedly returned a negative Covid-19 test result, according to a statement by his office.

It added:

"All of his close contacts from Jan. 1 till Jan. 9 are advised to undergo screening as soon as possible. He has apologised for all the inconvenience caused."

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