PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - A total of 2,897 individuals in Malaysia will be hauled to court starting Monday (July 26) for failing to do a second Covid-19 test on Day 13 of their home quarantine.

Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the police would start arresting and charging them in court for failing to comply with this condition.

"Those involved are ordered to contact the nearest district healthcare facility to carry out a second test," he said in a statement on Saturday (July 25).

Datuk Seri Ismail Savru said 9,600 individuals were still placed under mandatory home quarantine.

"Police and health officers would conduct spot checks to ensure they abide by the safety protocols," he said.

As of Friday (July 24), those returning from abroad, including expatriates, would be placed in designated quarantine centres, and they must bear the cost of boarding and Covid-19 tests.

"The decision to re-open quarantine centres is made because of the rising number of imported cases, and the failure to abide to the safety protocols leading to an increased risk of Covid-19 transmission," he said.

He added that on Friday, 319 individuals returning from abroad were placed in four quarantine stations in Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, and Johor.

They had returned from 12 countries, namely Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, Qatar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabis, Hong Kong, India, United Arab Emirate, China and Australia.