KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — The Baleh Hydroelectric Dam construction site in Kapit, Sarawak will be placed under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) from tomorrow until May 26, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said the EMCO was necessary as the Ministry of Health (MOH) had detected a spike in Covid-19 infections among workers at the project site in the past one week.
“So far MOH has recorded 243 positive cases of Covid-19 and this is a sudden surge.
“Based on this situation, MOH confirmed that there is a high risk of infectivity in the construction area of the Baleh Dam because many workers have yet to be screened,” he said in a statement today.
He said the implementation of the EMCO would facilitate MOH in doing early detection of cases to prevent the virus from spreading to nearby communities.
Ismail Sabri also said the government decided to widen the EMCO area at six longhouses and a school in Sungai Duan, Mukah Division, Sarawak from tomorrow until May 6.
The affected premises are Rumah Panjang Belayong; Rumah Panjang Tepi; Rumah Panjang Minggu; Rumah Panjang Rimong; Rumah Panjang Undun; Rumah Panjang Lindan; and Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Duan.
“The government had earlier enforced EMCO at nine longhouses which was scheduled to end on May 6, but MOH reported 17 new positive cases in other longhouses located near the Sungai Duan EMCO area in the past one week,” he added.
Meanwhile, the EMCO at four other areas — Kampung Melangkap Tomis, Kota Belud; the market and Perumahan Sim-Sim, and Kampung Sungai Obar Batu 7, Sandakan, Sabah; four villages in Temerloh; and Pusat Komuniti Bersepadu Pulau Serai in Pekan, Pahang will end tomorrow.
“For Kampung Melangkap Tomis, 11 positive cases were recorded from 167 screened … there is a drop in cases, the cluster is under control and all positive cases have been isolated and admitted to the Covid-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centre.
“In the market and Perumahan Sim Sim, 108 positive cases were recorded while in Kampung Sungai Obar Batu 7, 167 cases were detected … but cases have dropped and all clusters are under control while positive cases and close contacts have been isolated and monitored until the 14th day,” he said.
Ismail Sabri said the four villages in Temerloh are Kampung Paya Pulai Tengah, Kampung Pulau Terap, Paya Pulai — Kampung Batu 4, and Paya Pulai — Kampung Batu 5.
He said 605 screening tests were conducted in the four localities and 28 positive cases were detected cumulatively, but there were no pending results for samples and only one case was last reported on April 20.
The Pusat Komuniti Bersepadu Pulau Serai had 1,607 screening tests with 17 positive cases recorded cumulatively, while no results were pending from samples and the last reported case was on April 14.
“The EMCO in all areas was lifted as scheduled, except for four localities in Pusat Komuniti Bersepadu Pulau Serai which ended earlier than the scheduled April 29,” he said.
On MCO violations, he said 420 individuals were arrested yesterday, with 388 compounded and 32 remanded, mostly related to entertainment centre activities and failure to register for entering premises.
He said 26 illegal immigrants were arrested and eight land vehicles seized in Operasi Benteng yesterday. — Bernama
