PUTRAJAYA: The number of individuals detained nationwide for violating the Movement Control Order (MCO) has increased to 51 percent or 554 people Sunday from 368 people on Saturday.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the increase could be due to many had taken advantage of the weekend to go out.
“Before this, I was proud that the percentage and the number of arrests had dropped for four days in a row.
“...do not take advantage of the weekend to go out,” he said after a special Cabinet meeting here Monday.
Ismail Sabri, who is also Defence Minister said of the 554 people arrested, 489 individuals were remanded while 65 were granted bail.
He said strict enforcement was needed throughout the ongoing MCO period after a Health Ministry report showed that there was an increase in the number of Covid-19 positive cases in the country.
Ismail Sabri said since the MCO came into force on March 18, a total of 6,048 people had been detained for violating the order.
He said yesterday, 743 roadblocks were mounted nationwide with 293,051 vehicles inspected.
“At the same time, a total of 25,818 spot checks were conducted and 4,822 premises were checked by the authorities,” he said.
On the public sanitisation operations, Ismail Sabri said to date, 56 areas in nine states including 27 in Johor and six in Sarawak had been sanitised in efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.
“The sanitisation operations were also conducted at 19 government buildings and three People's Housing Projects (PPRs), involving 4,872 house units.
“As of yesterday, the operations had been carried out at seven PPRs involving 8,944 house units and surrounding areas including surau, multipurpose halls and playgrounds,” Ismail Sabri said.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry (MOH) will come up with a new standard operating procedure on areas identified to be placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO).
Ismail Sabri said the new SOP will focus more on areas with Covid-19 infections.
“The government does not want to impose too wide of a radius (once the EMCO is enforced),” Ismail Sabri said.
He said prior to this, if there were positive cases in a village, the affected area would be closed or subjected to the EMCO with a radius spanning five to six kilometres.
He said the MOH is now conducting a detailed evaluation on the next areas to be possibly placed under EMCO.
This is because when an area is under the EMCO, it is subjected to a complete lockdown, where there is no such thing as leaving home to shop, Ismail Sabri said.
Asked if Lembah Pantai, which has recorded almost 400 Covid-19 cases so far, will be placed under EMCO as well, Ismail Sabri said various aspects needed to be studied before that decision is made.
The three areas in the country under EMCO so far are two villages in Simpang Renggam, Kluang, Johor; Batu 21 to Batu 24 Sungai Lui, Hulu Langat, Selangor and Menara City One in Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Kuala Lumpur.
On viral images showing many making a beeline to the banks to withdraw their Bantuan Prihatin Nasional aid, Ismail Sabri reminded the people not to crowd banks.
“There is no need to rush, and if even you are there (bank), comply with the one-metre social distancing directive,” he said. – Bernama
