Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob
KUALA LUMPUR: Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has reminded the public not to take the standard operating procedures (SOP) lightly, especially the use of face masks, because the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) is still being enforced throughout the country.
He said even though only a few localities were being placed under the enhanced and conditional MCOs, this did not mean that other areas were free from the law.
He said the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) was still in force as long as the RMCO was being implemented nationwide, and action could be taken if there was a breach of order.
“Although we declare EMCO and CMCO in some locations or localities, the whole of Malaysia is still in MCO, but with slightly loosened restrictions when we introduced RMCO. As long as there’s MCO, whether conditional, enhanced or recovery, it is still subject to Act 342.
“The offences listed under the act can be enforced and legal action can be taken,” he told a virtual press conference via the Ministry of Defence’s Facebook page yesterday
Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said police arrested 661 individuals for violating the RMCO on Saturday, 632 of whom were compounded, 21 were remanded and two others were released on bail.
Of the total, he said, 223 were detained for not wearing face masks, which was the main offence, 191 for not keeping physical distance, 112 failed to provide the tools or record personal details while breach of conditions or orders in CMCO areas (75), activities in entertainment centres (45) and others (15).
On Ops Benteng, he said 72 illegal immigrants were arrested yesterday and 35 land vehicles were seized..
Ismail Sabri said since the implementation of Ops Benteng last May, a total of 497 illegal immigrants and 28 skippers have been arrested in Sarawak.
He added that 50,254 individuals returned home from July 24 until Saturday and of that number, 8,151 people were undergoing
compulsory quarantine and another 381 were taken to hospital for treatment, while 41,722 individuals were discharged and allowed to return home. — Bernama