KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 — Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today warned the private and public sectors against holding physical meetings within the movement control order (MCO) as these were prohibited.

The senior defence minister the restriction applied equally to both and without exception.

"No one can be exempted from this rule and order issued,” he said, adding that the National Security Council (NSC) meetings also took place virtually.

"So there is no reason for those in the ministries to not abide by the order issued. So we don’t not want double standards. If the rakyat can follow, on the ministries’ part, they too must abide by the orders issued,” he said.

He was responding to a question during his press briefing on whether physical work meetings are still allowed, as some were reportedly still engaging in such programmes.