KUALA LUMPUR: Up to 7,500 military personnel have been deployed nationwide to assist the police in enforcing the Movement Control Order (MCO), Armed Forces Chief (ATM) General Tan Sri Affendi Buang said today.
He said the number, which includes members of the army, navy and air force, is sufficient to assist the police in manning 405 road blocks and conducting 272 patrols using mobile patrol vehicles (MPVs) daily.
Affendi said collaboration between his men and the police is necessary to ensure that the public adheres to the order which was enforced on March 18 to control the spread of Covid-19.
“The decision to rope in the Armed Forces to assist our brothers in blue cannot be disputed, as it will ensure that the MCO is (properly) executed.
“We will focus on high-risk areas such as supermarkets and wet markets, where people are still flocking and do not practice good social distancing.
“We will ensure that the public is disciplined and obey orders given by enforcement agencies … failure is not an option,” he said in a statement.
Affendi said the ATM will also assist the police in monitoring hospitals, borders and rural areas.
He said although the rate of compliance with the MCO has reached 90 per cent, the remaining 10 per cent still comprises a large number.
“People must understand that this order was made to ensure their own safety and wellbeing.
“Please do not trust fake and viral news, especially those that involve information, pictures, videos or audio recordings depicting the army being deployed on a big scale.
“This can lead to unnecessary distress and panic among society,” he added.