KUALA LUMPUR: The National Security Council (MKN) is assessing whether to impose a Movement Control Order (MCO) throughout Sabah in view of the continuously high number of Covid-19 cases being recorded daily.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (pix) said MKN and the Health Ministry (MOH) are expected to table and announce a decision on the matter on Monday.
“Almost all districts in Sabah have been declared red zones ... we have been asked by the Prime Minister (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) to hold a special technical committee meeting to make a thorough study in determining the standard operating procedures (SOP) and its impact from various aspects.
“If we were to reintroduce the Movement Control Order (MCO) all over again for example, a new SOP will have to be reintroduced and its implementation must be according to MOH guidelines,“ he told a press conference on the development of the Recovery MCO (RMCO) here today.
Meanwhile, when asked to comment on individuals who breach the inter- state travel ban during the Conditional MCO period, Ismail Sabri said the police would be instructed to tighten control at roadblocks.
“Yes, we have empowered the police to mount the roadblocks but there are people who submit the forms giving their reasons for the need to travel inter-state but some may not be truthful.
“I am confident the police will tighten (control) when the CMCO is imposed in more states starting Nov 9,“ he said when commenting on the case of a nurse who travelled from Klang Valley to Kelantan which eventually resulted in four of her family members tested Covid-19 positive.
Meanwhile, following an assessment and advice from MOH, enhanced MCO has been imposed at the government-aided religious school (SABK) Maahad Al-Yahyawiah, Padang Rengas in Kuala Kangsar, Perak from Nov 8 to 21.
This came after 27 positive Covid-19 cases were detected in the area.
He said the EMCO was to facilitate targeted screening on 123 students and 11 staff members and to prevent spread of the virus to the local community.
In addition, the EMCO imposed at Taman Semarak and Sri Balung PPR, Tawau from Oct 26 will end tomorrow as scheduled, after screening carried out in both areas found that only 13 cases have remained active.
“Following a risk assessment by the MOH, it was found that Covid-19 cases at both areas have been declining and the situation is within control,” he said.
At the same time, during Ops Benteng yesterday, the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) together with the police detected 14 foreign fishing boats in Penang waters.
Following that, KD Laksamana Tan Pasmah was sent to chase the boats away from the country’s waters.
In the nationwide Ops Benteng, 15 illegal immigrants along with a smuggler were detained and five road vehicles were seized.
Meanwhile 407 individuals were detained for breaching the RMCO SOP, 403 were issued with compounds while four others were remanded. -Bernama
