KUALA LUMPUR: There will be no leniency in restrictions under the Movement Control Order (MCO) despite the downward trend of Covid-19 cases in the country.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the standard operating procedure (SOP) in place for the MCO would remain and the public must continue adhering to it.
“When the health director-general (Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah) announced that there were only 36 positive Covid-19 cases yesterday with no deaths, many people may feel that there is a need to loosen the restrictions, including the roadblocks.
“I would like to stress that as long as the MCO is in force and there is no new SOP, the restrictions remain. It is everyone’s collective responsibility to obey this and the police will act against those who violate the MCO,” he said in the daily Covid-19 press briefing here yesterday.
Citing incidents in some countries, Ismail Sabri said cases started to rise once restrictions were eased, with some declaring an emergency to contain the Covid-19 virus.
“We do not want that to happen in our country, so please continue to stay home. I hope the good news will motivate us to remain disciplined and obey the instructions from the authorities.”
He said up to Monday, 16,870 individuals had been arrested for flouting the MCO.
A total of 946 individuals were detained for defying the MCO on Monday, of which 433 arrests were made in red zones.
From the total, 822 were remanded, 124 were released on police bail while 101 were charged.
Ismail Sabri said 824 roadblocks were mounted nationwide by the police and the armed forces, which saw 603,314 vehicles inspected. He also said 52,380 spot checks were conducted at 6,127 premises.
On an another matter, Ismail Sabri urged all parties who had taken deposits from Ramadan bazaar traders to fully refund them following the cancellation of the bazaars in light of the pandemic. He said bazaar organisers should not take advantage of the traders.
“They (traders) gave the deposits in the hope that the Ramadan bazaars would be held this year.
“Emulate Kuala Lumpur City Hall, which has announced that it would refund all registered traders or at least carry forward the deposit to next year.
“I hope all local councils and other parties will do so too.”
Ismail Sabri was responding to a query on the issue of several Ramadan bazaar organisers who had reportedly refused to refund or agreed to partially return the money to the traders after the cancellation of the bazaars this year.
Traders who had paid deposits for Ramadan bazaars with City Hall have been given a choice of getting a refund or carrying forward their operating permit deposit to next year.