KUALA LUMPUR: Residents living in the “Covid-19 red zones” here urged the government to double its effort in enforcing the Movement Control Order (MCO) in their respective locations.
Residents who spoke to the NST also urged their neighbourhoods and fellow residents to adhere to the MCO by restricting their movement outside in order to curb the spread of Covid-19.
This was after Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa revealed four locations in the Federal capital that had been placed under “intensive” monitoring by the authorities.
The red zone locations are in the parliamentary constituency’s of Lembah Pantai, Titiwangsa, Kepong and Cheras.
Engineer Noor Hazman Salleh, 39, from Cheras, urged residents in the area to take the MCO seriously after a number of coronavirus cases was found in the location.
“I still see people not practicing good social distancing as they continue to loiter near each other at pedestrian walkways after concluding their tasks.
“Enforcement agencies should take a sterner approach against such kinds of people as they could possibly be the agent spreading the virus.
“People must play their part to ensure our nation does not end like Italy,” said the father of four.
University student Amirul Akmal Hakim Hamzah, 22, said the situation in Lembah Pantai showed considerable improvement compared to the first day of the MCO on March 18.
The undergraduate who is renting a room in the location said roads leading to his area were quite clear and his neighbourhood was also quiet compared to normal days.
“I believe most of them went back to their hometowns.
“I hope this situation will remain till the end of the MCO,” he said.
Meanwhile, a bicycle shop owner who only wanted to be known as Charlie said commercial areas in Kepong were deserted and it had turned into a ghost town as all shops were closed for business.
“We want to make sure our vicinity is safe from this virus… we respect the MCO announced by the government last week.
“This is for the safety of our own health… people should follow it,” he said.
However, the 48-year-old businessman said government must continue to monitor the people’s movement during this period as there were several delinquents who were still playing truant.
“Two days ago I saw a police patrol car urging teenagers playing at the nearby football field near my house to disperse but it fell on deaf ears.
“This is unacceptable and no wonder Kepong was marked as ‘Covid-19 red zone’… I hope the situation will improve soon,” he said.
On Sunday, Annuar said authorities would conduct intensive monitoring in locations with positive Covid-19 cases.
He said 5,000 people including 1,413 members of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) and 1,500 policemen operating in three shifts had been deployed to several parts of the Federal Territory to ensure compliance of the two-week long MCO that is expected to last until end of this month.
Others deployed on the ground during the MCO, he said, included 1,500 enforcement officers from the Kuala Lumpur City Council (DBKL).
The security and enforcement personnel, he said, would also be making rounds in Chow Kit, Brickfields and Selayang since he received reports that premises and patrons at these areas have yet to fully adopt the social distancing practice.