KUALA LUMPUR – The movement restrictions nationwide will be extended by two weeks, with the states keeping their respective statuses until April 14, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced today.
He said the conditional movement control order (CMCO) for Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Penang and Kelantan, which is scheduled to end tomorrow, will be extended to April 14.
Only Sarawak will have its order cease on April 12, he added, provided no further extensions are announced.
He said the government decided to maintain the CMCO for these states as they are either continuing to record a high number of Covid-19 cases or showing fluctuating trends in infections.
Other states will remain under the more lenient recovery movement control order (RMCO) until April 14, he said.
They are Kedah, Perlis, Perak, Putrajaya, Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Terengganu, Sabah and Labuan.
Ismail Sabri said all standard operating procedures (SOPs) remain in place, including the prohibition on travelling across state lines.
“Only tourism activities and travelling between RMCO states are allowed through the green travel bubble concept, which has to be done via tourism agents and companies,” he said in a press conference today.
“However, inter-district travel is allowed, other than Sabah and Sarawak, which was based on the decision by the two state governments.”
On Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement last Saturday that the government is mulling interstate travel and visits during Hari Raya Aidilfitri in May, Ismail Sabri said this decision will be made by the Health Ministry soon.
He said the ministry will conduct risk assessments before advising the government on any action.
On a local celebrity who travelled across state lines for a honeymoon, he maintained that nobody is above the law, regardless of their status.
However, he said the government has no jurisdiction to take action, as this can only be done by the police and other enforcement agencies that have been given such power under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.
“If there is a case, whether they are celebrities or otherwise, report to the police. No one is above the law.”
Local celebrity Neelofa and her husband, Haris Ismail, attracted nationwide attention after photos of them allegedly on their honeymoon in Langkawi went viral on social media yesterday.
The newlyweds also courted controversy after photos and videos of their wedding ceremony showed SOPs on social distancing were ignored, with many Malaysians demanding that action be taken.
Ismail Sabri said organisers and event space operators should be responsible in assigning an individual to monitor that SOPs are adhered to, as is required under the government’s guideline.
“This has been in place for so long. It’s just a matter of whether the SOPs are being adhered. If not, then they need to report to the authorities.” – The Vibes, March 30, 2021
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