KUALA LUMPUR – The National Security Council (NSC) has imposed the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) on a Sarawak locality and a sub-district in Terengganu following a spike in Covid-19 cases in both places.
Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, in a statement, said the order will take effect at the Wun Ak Ering longhouse and SK Berkerkong in Tg Manis, in Sarawak’s Mukah division, from May 20 to June 2, after five infections were detected.
The EMCO will be in place in the Pelagat sub-district in Besut, Terengganu, for the same period, following the detection of 199 cases.
Ismail Sabri said the lockdown in Pelagat involves the following villages and low-cost housing areas: Kg Alor Selinsing, Kg Bukit Yong, Kg Tok Motong, Kg Lak Lok Dalam, Kg Lak Lok, Kg Pandang Landak, Kg Padang Luas, Kg Padang Luas Hilir, Kg Padang Tapong, Kg Paroh, Kg Kubang Siam, Kg Seberang Jerteh, Seberang Jerteh low-cost public housing, and Pelagat 1, 2, and 3 low-cost housing areas.
He said the Health Ministry detected the 199 Covid-19 infections in the sub-district out of 1,092 screenings done.
“(The ministry) also reported a significant increase in the positivity rate, and a very high infectivity rate, in the said locality.
“The implementation of the EMCO is intended to limit the movement of residents to break the chain of infection, and to allow the ministry to carry out wide-scale screenings among residents.
Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said 514 individuals have been arrested over various SOP violations.
He said of the total, 603 were issued compounds, while 11 were remanded.
Ismail Sabri said 147 offenders had failed to wear masks, while 127 failed to record visitor details, followed by failure to maintain social distance (62), exceeding passenger limit (13) and others (165).
On the border control operation codenamed Op Benteng, Ismail Sabri said 41 illegal immigrants have been detained and two vessels confiscated.
Op Benteng, involving the police, armed forces, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, and the Border Security Agency spotted 157 vessels around the country’s shores through nine surveillance activities.
Overall, Ismail Sabri said the police-led Compliance Operations Task Force conducted a total of 75,057 inspections yesterday to monitor and enforce the SOPs of the nationwide MCO. – The Vibes, May 18, 2021