Malaysian foreign minister unable to join ASEAN-China foreign ministers' meeting due to COVID-19 quarantine

Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein is unable to attend the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Chongqing, China, on Monday as he is undergoing quarantine due to exposure to a COVID-19 patient, said a statement issued by the ministry.

Hishammuddin's working visits to Egypt, Kuwait and Qatar will also be postponed, added the statement.

"Although the foreign minister has undergone two PCR tests which have been found negative, under guidelines prescribed by MOH, the foreign minister is required to undergo compulsory quarantine and self-isolation," the statement said.

Hishammuddin will be represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar as the head of Malaysia's delegation to participate in the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting.