KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry has empowered mayors, local council heads and enforcement officers to issue compounds for offences under Act 342 (Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988), including SOP violations at Ramadan bazaars.
Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said in a statement that this comes after receiving numerous public complaints about SOP violations at Ramadan bazaars across the country.
He added that local councils are urged to take the appropriate actions to ensure the SOPs released by the ministry and National Security Council are adhered to.
Meanwhile, police said they will take stern action against any individual who fails to comply with SOPs when visiting Ramadan bazaars nationwide.
“Traders must also see that those shopping at their stalls observe the SOPs, which include wearing a mask, maintaining their physical distance and scanning the MySejahtera QR code at each stall,” said Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani in a statement today.
Selangor police chief Datuk Arjunaidi Mohamed said until yesterday, only reminders were given to Ramadan bazaar operators and visitors who failed to comply with the rules, especially with regard to physical distancing.
“From today onwards, the police will take action against those who fail to obey the rules,” he said.
Meanwhile, the movement control control (MCO) will be imposed in seven districts in Kelantan – Kota Baru, Pasir Mas, Pasir Puteh, Bachok, Machang, Tumpat and Tanah Merah – from April 16 to 29.
The Health Ministry reported that there has been a 30.5% increase in cases – from 756 to 1,088 – and all the seven districts are classified as red zones. There were also nine clusters reported with a high infectivity rate in the communities.
Among the SOPs imposed are road blocks at all district and state borders, and only economic activities sanctioned by the ministry are allowed to operate, with the rest according to the general MCO SOPs issued on February 26.
State Disaster Management Committee (DMC) chairman Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas will issue a statement tomorrow on whether the MCO will be imposed in Kuching, Bintulu, Miri, Sibu, and Meradong.
Ismail Sabri also announced the enforcement of the enhanced MCO (EMCO) for Kg Tg Batu Keramat in Kota Belud, Sabah, after the Health Ministry detected 17 cases there.
He said Ladang Leepang, Ladang Laukin and Kg Inoi in Muadzam Shah, Pahang, have been placed under EMCO after 25 cases were detected there recently.
The EMCO in both districts will start tomorrow until April 28, he added.
The minister said the EMCO in Kg Juara, Tioman Island, will be lifted tomorrow, ahead of the scheduled date of April 20. He said the ministry conducted 470 screenings and found 54 cases. The last eight cases there, he said, were detected on April 3 and the patients have been quarantined.
Ismail Sabri said 42 people were arrested yesterday for various SOP violations, of which 35 received compounds and another seven were remanded.
Twenty of the offenders failed to record their details to enter premises, eight failed to wear masks, seven were arrested for entertainment centre activities, while another seven were detained for other reasons. – The Vibes, April 14, 2021
