PUTRAJAYA: More hotel operators have been urged to make their respective premises available to be utilised as quarantine centres for Malaysians returning from abroad.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Mohd Ismail Sabri Yaakob said at the moment Malaysia has 190 quarantine centres nationwide including hotels where 17,008 individuals are being housed for a 14-day mandatory quarantine period.
"We hope more hotels would be willing to help the government by providing their accommodations for this purpose. We welcome volunteers. They (hotels) would be given Sales and Services Tax exemption for their involvement," Ismail said.
He informed that hotels willing to help out can get in touch with the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and the Tourism Ministry.
Another 1,589 Malaysians returned home yesterday and were currently undergoing quarantine.
“In total, 11,861 Malaysians from abroad who had returned home are undergoing mandatory quarantine since April 3,” he said in his press conference today.
Meanwhile, on individuals nabbed for violating the MCO, Ismail Sabri said the figure stood at 1,565 individuals as of Friday compared to 1,057 individuals the day before.
"Of the total, 1,381 individuals were remanded and 184 were released on police bail,” he said.
He said as of April 17, the total number of those violating the MCO stood at 13,639, with 544 individuals charged in courts nationwide.
Ismail Sabri said authorities had mounted 816 roadblocks nationwide, which saw them checking 585,250 vehicles yesterday.
He also announced that police would carry out more roadblocks nationwide in the wake of some people seeking to return to their respective hometowns on the sly.
The government’s policy on interstate travel still remains where it was not allowed except in emergency cases with approval letters obtained from the police, he said.
He added that interstate travel whether by land or air was only allowed for emergency purposes such as the death of a family member or involving health issues. Approval letters can be obtained from the nearest police stations.
Ismail Sabri also said the Housing and Local Government Ministry has carried out 2,441 sanitisation operations nationwide at 105 zones including 28 red zones. This involved 1,669 government buildings, 1,009 public places, 1,031 business premises and 191 supermarkets.
On action taken against fake news peddlers on Covid-19, he said 220 investigation papers had been opened by police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
152 cases are under investigation, 24 had been charged in court and 13 admitted to their offence and were let off with a warning, while another 33 cases were classified as "no further action".
On a separate note, Ismail called upon societies, cooperatives, associations and organisations seeking to hold their Annual General Meeting (AGM) to postpone it after Covid-19 abates.
"However, for those who wished to hold AGM via online platforms or through Video Conferencing, they can do so," he said.
Ismail Sabri said even if the MCO was lifted, it was unlikely for Malaysians to go back to the way things were.
He also cautioned Malaysians not to be over-confident due to the reduction in the number of new Covid-19 cases, leading to them violating the MCO.
"Just because we have recorded less than 100 new cases for two consecutive days, does not mean that we can start moving around and disobeying MCO restrictions.
"I know a lot of you pray that the MCO will be lifted and that all of you can return to your daily normal routines.
“However, if people are still stubborn, then we can’t end the MCO soon," he stressed.
He also congratulated the Health Ministry, police, army and all those involved in reducing the number of new infections.