.jpg "Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob speaks during a press conference after inspecting a roadblock at the Gombak Toll Plaza in Kuala Lumpur February 1, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Bernama pic")
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — The movement control order (MCO) currently enforced across the country, except several areas in Sarawak, has been extended toFebruary 18, effectively covering the Chinese New Year festival that falls on February 12 and 13.
Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, during his press conference today, said the extension will start from February 5, a day after the initial MCO 2.0 was supposed to be lifted.
“Risk assessments carried out by the Health Ministry found daily cases in all states showed an upward trend with increasing case numbers, with high numbers of sporadic infections within the community among both locals and non-Malaysians.
“Therefore the National Security Council during its meeting today agreed to extend the MCO 2.0 enforced across the country from February 5 to February 18,” he said during the live broadcast today.
Ismail also reaffirmed the government’s restriction on inter-district and inter-state travel, saying a total of 31 Covid-19 infection clusters were caused by those found to have travelled across state lines.
His announcement also effectively ends hopes of those looking to return to their outstation hometowns during the upcoming festive period.
Ismail today also announced that a total of 630 compound notices were issued following the arrests of 680 people found in breach of Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP), with 49 others remanded and one person granted police bail.
From those, he said a total of 140 people were issued compound notices for crossing state and district lines without proper permission, with the majority of the other offences ranging from failure to don a face mask, to failing to maintain physical distancing, failure to provide contact tracing facilities and for premises operating without permission.
The minister also said the enhanced MCO (EMCO) that was enforced on two blocks at the Sekolah Pusat Pemulihan Akhlak (PPA) school in Muar, Johor, will end at midnight today. From then, the PPA will be subject to the regular MCO SOPs.
Ismail announced an extension to the EMCO on two areas in Perak: Kg Orang Asli Batu 6 in Batang Kadang and and parts of Felda Bersia in Hulu Perak.
He said the EMCO in Kg Orang Asli Batu 6 that was supposed to end at 12am tonight would be extended for another seven days until February 10, because there are 35 active cases within the area.
He said Felcra Nasaruddin in Perak Tengah will be under EMCO from midnight tonight following a surge in positive cases there, while the EMCO in the Felda developments in Hulu Perak will involve the entire Phase 2 and parts of Phase 1 within the area.
Ismail added that the EMCO in on the Felda settlement will enable the Health Ministry to screen some 800 residents there for Covid-19.
