Although the health director-general had announced the new mandatory period of 21 days of quarantine for arrivals from India to take effect only on May 14, the couple were subjected to the new ruling a day before.
The couple claimed officials arranging for their rescue chartered flight from India to Malaysia had told them they would only need to be in isolation for 14 days.
Speaking to FMT, Klang native Stephanie Robin, 35, said she was prepared financially for the 14-day quarantine for both herself and her 36-year-old husband.
“I was not prepared to pay more, as we had paid close to RM5,000 for our flight back from Trichy to KLIA at 9pm Thursday via Malindo Air flight OD 224.”
Stephanie said since they were at the mercy of the officials here, they had no choice but to pay the RM5,750, which included a RM2,600 “foreign national management fee” and payment for 21 days of quarantine at a rate of RM150 per night.
“However, the unwavering health officers insisted on us paying in a single transaction of either cash or card. But I only had a limited amount of cash, with RM4,500 in my bank account.
“To make things worse, our debit card had a charge limit of RM3,000,” she said, adding that the officers did not even want to wait till the next day when her father promised to send the extra cash.
“The officers told us that if we could not pay, they would send both of us to the immigration department to deport us.
“I am a Malaysian but was treated like a foreigner.”
She said, eventually, a kind stranger who was on their same flight spotted them at a corner of the terminal four hours later during a toilet break and offered to pay the difference of RM2,750. Stephanie said she swiped her card for another RM3,000.
“Surprisingly, the officers were willing to accept payments in a combination of cash and debit card payments this time.”
She said if there had been a change of policy, the officials organising their trip back should have informed them beforehand. They could only get a flight back last week.
Stephanie said she and her husband travelled to India to settle a land matter concerning her husband in March. They were prepared to head back to Kuala Lumpur the following month but were stuck as there were no flights out.
Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy, who first heard about their ordeal, said he would be writing to the health director-general and the National Security Council about the 21-day quarantine order for the couple and making them pay for it when they were caught unaware.
He said the deportation threat by the health officers against a legally registered couple with a Malaysian spouse was uncalled for and they must be severely reprimanded.
FMT has reached out to the health ministry for comment.