PUTRAJAYA, May 11 — Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said that public compliance with the conditional movement control order (CMCO) is at a satisfactory level, at 95 per cent in the first week since it was implemented.
But the government is expected to ramp up enforcement as it aims to increase public adherence to the newly set restrictions.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said on Sunday that the CMCO will be extended for a month until June 9, in what is seen as an attempt to prevent a surge of new Covid-19 infections during the Hari Raya celebrations.
“I am happy to say that public compliance is high,” Ismail told the National Security Council’s daily briefing on the domestic Covid-19 situation here.
The authorities have conducted inspections on over 50,000 business, transport and logistic premises nationwide since the government phased out the movement control order and began easing curbs under the CMCO starting May 4.
Ismail, who is the senior minister for the security cluster, said all police resources are now focused on ensuring businesses comply with the federal physical distancing standard operating procedures set by the Ministry of Health.
“For example we inspected banks,” the minister explained.
“How do we inspect banks? The idea is to make sure they practice social distancing...such as how people queue at payment counters.
“So it is the role of the police to ensure people lining up are kept at the required distance.”
The government began relaxing movement curbs on May 4 with the hope of jump-starting an economy battered by the coronavirus pandemic, allowing non-essential services including retail to resume businesses but subject to physical distancing rules.
The announcement led to most malls around the country to reopen, prompting concern by some independent public health experts that it could set off a new wave of infections.
Ismail suggested the CMCO has been smooth so far with a majority of businesses showing high compliance with the health standard operating procedure prepared by the Ministry of Health.
