EMCO involving localities in Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Pahang.

By: Haseena Syazlin

The government has put more areas under the EMCO following a spike in COVID-19 cases. | Photo from: Google

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 MAY 2021: Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said EMCO would be enforced in localities in Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Pahang from May 28 to June 10, following a spike in COVID-19 cases in the areas.

In Perak, Mukim Parit Buntar in Kerian will be under EMCO starting Friday (May 28) after 82 confirmed COVID-19 cases were discovered out of 623 people tested, resulting in a positivity rate of 13.2 percent.

"The EMCO will enable the Health Ministry (MOH) to improve case detection among high-risk groups through targeted screening," he said in a statement today.

Two flats in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, namely Pangsapuri Permai and Pangsapuri Sri Penara will also be under EMCO after the sudden increase in COVID-19 cases in the last 10 days.

“78 new COVID-19 cases were detected from 101 individuals in Pangsapuri Permai and 111 confirmed cases from 123 individuals in Pangsapuri Sri Penara. So, the EMCO imposed will aid in controlling control the outbreak,” he added.

In Sabah, the EMCO would include four villages in the Kunak district, namely Kampung Kabog, Kampung Kabog Baru, Kampung Kunak Darat, and Kampung Kunak 3, as well as three localities in Tawau (Kampung Sungai Pukul in Pulau Sebatik, Taman Desa Ranggu, and Taman Sawit Balung) and Kampung Pirasan Ulu in Kota Belud.

"The implementation of the EMCO is to prevent movement and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 infection from these areas. The standard operating procedures (SOP) for all areas under EMCO is as previously announced," he said.

The MOH also discovered a significant increase in COVID-19 cases in two subdistricts in Temerloh, Pahang, necessitating the imposition of the EMCO for two weeks.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri stated that the EMCO enforced at the low-cost public housing in Pelagat 3 in Besut, Terengganu, which was set to end tomorrow, would be extended until June 4 due to the spread of new cases among residents, with 42 individuals testing positive for COVID-19, while the EMCO at the Sungai Batu mining workers' quarters in Batu Talam, Raub in Pahang would end as scheduled.

"To date, the MOH has conducted 51 screening tests of which 21 tested positive for COVID-19. The ministry also confirmed the cases are showing a declining trend and the cluster is under control while all positive cases have received treatment," he said.

Regarding the operation on MCO standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance, Ismail Sabri stated that 628 individuals were arrested for breaching the SOP yesterday of which 609 were compounded and 19 remanded.

Among the offences were not wearing face masks with 162 cases, failure to record personal details or register at the entrance of premises (158), non-compliance with movement control restrictions (80), interstate or inter-district travels without permission (61), not adopting physical distancing (47) and other offenses (120).