Mahathir looks to evacuate 78 Malaysians from Wuhan, while sending masks and food

Malaysia is seeking to evacuate 78 of its citizens from Wuhan while delivering masks and other supplies to the Chinese city at the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, according to Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

“We want to help Wuhan. If we have to send in a flight to bring back our people, if allowed by the Chinese government, we will bring food, gloves, masks as supply is short there,” he told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday.

Mahathir said the evacuation move was following the lead of Japan, and that the Southeast Asian nation’s foreign affairs ministry would be in touch with Beijing on the matter. Tokyo on Wednesday removed more than 200 of its nationals from Wuhan, which has been under lockdown since January 23 to curb the spread of the virus.

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The premier said that while the Malaysians in Wuhan were not displaying any symptoms of the virus, they would be checked once more upon their return and would be quarantined for two weeks if they showed any signs of infection.

The premier also warned Malaysians against spreading disinformation about the deadly virus, saying that the government would act against those “spreading fake news and inciting racism”.

“The government will take action on those spreading fake news to instil fear among Malaysians and incite hatred among the races in Malaysia. Even though we believe in freedom of press, that does not mean the press should agitate people and cause people to be antagonistic towards each other. We will take action against those people,” he said, an exhortation that was echoed by Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail at a later press conference.

Speaking to the media after chairing a Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre meeting, Wan Azizah urged Malaysians to not believe or spread fake news, a request that came just a day after a Malaysian man was arrested for spreading disinformation on the virus via Facebook.

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The 34-year-old was arrested at his home on Tuesday evening under suspicion of broadcasting news to cause public fear – a crime which carries a sentence of up to two years in jail if found guilty.

Four more suspects were arrested on Wednesday, in a move to maintain public order that has earned mixed reactions from Malaysians, with some criticising the government for using what are seen as regressive anti-free speech laws.

Mahathir also said the decision to close mosques and other tourist attractions to travellers in light of the outbreak was “not a government policy”.

“The government never declared that mosques or museums cannot be visited by tourists just because they might be infected by the coronavirus,” he said, adding it was an “irresponsible act”.

Several major mosques that are also popular sightseeing attractions – including the iconic Putra Mosque in the nation’s administrative capital, Putrajaya – have temporarily closed their doors to tourists, while remaining open for Muslims to conduct their prayers.

Malaysia has moved swiftly to control the spread of the virus, with authorities increasing the number of thermal scanners at entry points into the nation.

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It has also put in place measures such as a website with safety-related infographics and the latest official updates on the situation.

The health ministry has also compiled a list of debunked false information about the government’s efforts as well as other rumours, which include claims that someone had died after eating a mandarin orange.

Seven Chinese nationals in Malaysia are infected with the coronavirus, including a four-year-old girl, a 52-year-old man and the mother of two children who were infected earlier.

The novel coronavirus has so far claimed 132 lives in China and infected more than 6,000 people worldwide.