Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob
KUALA LUMPUR: The authorities detained 1,598 illegal immigrants, 526 skippers, and 110 smugglers between May 1 and Tuesday in ‘Op Benteng’, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster), Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said seized during the operation were 54 boats and 156 vehicles which tried to sneak into this country through its borders.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) mounted 68 ‘Op Benteng’ roadblocks nationwide and checked 37,001 vehicles in preventing the entry of illegals, especially via the rat trails.
“Five foreigners were arrested for immigration-related offences (at these roadblocks),” he said today in a statement on the Recovery Movement Control order (RMCO) developments.
‘Op Benteng’ involves PDRM, Malaysian Armed Forces, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and Malaysian Border Security Agency (Aksem), to ensure the country’s borders are safeguarded and to curb cross-border crimes and the spread of Covid-19.
Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said 52 individuals were arrested Tuesday for violating the RMCO, and out of this number, 11 were remanded, one released on police bail and another 40 were fined.
Sixteen individuals were also detained for failing to observe social distancing, and another 30 were detained for activities that were against the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in combating Covid-19.
He said the Compliance Operations Task Force led by the police had conducted 64,414 inspections to monitor and enforce compliance with the standard operating procedure (SOP) under the RMCO, involving 2,877 compliance teams comprising 13,262 personnel.
Checks were carried out at 4,005 supermarkets, 5,736 restaurants, 1,512 hawker stalls, 1,117 factories, 3,862 banks and 750 government offices as well as 128 air transport terminals.
Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said 477 Malaysians who had returned home via Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and klia2 from China, Indonesia, Qatar, India, Thailand and Japan on Tuesday, were ordered to undergo mandatory quarantine at their respective homes.
He added police also conducted 1,455 checks on those undergoing home quarantine, with all of them found to be complying with the SOPs.
“From June 10 to July 14, the Health Ministry has screened 18,154 individuals upon their arrival in the country via Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
“Of this number, 18,081 individuals tested negative for Covid-19 and are undergoing mandatory quarantine at their respective homes while 73 individuals who tested positive have been sent to hospital for treatment,” he said.
Ismail Sabri said the Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia (CIDB) had conducted checks on 43 construction sites nationwide involving 103 enforcement personnel, which found 34 construction sites complying with the prescribed SOPs, four were non-compliant and five yet to begin operations.
Enforcement personnel from the Domestic Trade and Consumers Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) conducted daily monitoring on 12 essential items at 834 business premises, involving 624 retailers, 180 wholesalers, and 30 manufactures, yesterday, he said.
The ministry also carried out 1, 362 special checks and found 1,358 premises complied with the SOPs under the RMCO while four others were issued warnings for non-compliance.
“Overall, the supply of essential goods is sufficient and easily available as well as able to meet the continuous need of the people. — Bernama