KUALA LUMPUR – Another prison premise, the Bentong Prison Complex, together with its staff quarters, has been placed under the temporary enhanced movement control order (Temco).
Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said in his daily Covid-19 statement that the Health Ministry (MOH) has reported a spike in cases at the prison and recommended a lockdown on that specific site.
The Temco is scheduled to be enforced there from tomorrow till February 8.
“Up till today there have been 615 Covid-19 positive cases recorded, involving 574 prisoners, 34 staff and five family members,” he said of the situation in the complex.
“MOH has confirmed that there is a spike in Covid-19 infections in a short time among the prisoners there,” Ismail said.
“Based on the MoH’s advice and risk assessments, the government has agreed to implement the EMCO at Bentong prison and its staff quarters starting January 25 till February 8,” he added.
He said implementing the order will make it easier for MOH to conduct targeted screenings on all prisoners, staff, and their close contacts to ensure that infections in the community are contained.
The standard operating procedures (SOP) for the Temco will include no human movement in and out of the compound.
Meanwhile, the authorities apprehended 550 individuals for breaching Covid-19 SOPs yesterday. Of these, 499 were issued compounds and 42 were held under remand, while another nine were given bail.
The offences recorded were for not wearing face masks (130 cases), failure to prepare equipment to record customer details (112), lack of physical distancing (68), crossing district or state borders without approval (54), operating at unauthorised premises or beyond the authorised time (44), and others (142).
Border patrols under Ops Benteng led to the arrests of 54 illegal migrants and seizing of two boats/vessels, as well as five land transportation vehicles. – The Vibes, January 24, 2021
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