KUALA LUMPUR: The public and supermarket operators are reminded to obey the newly-announced two people per car rule.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said while the government is aware of a possibility of people crowding supermarkets following the new rule, he hoped the public would adhere to it.
He said the new ruling was announced because Putrajaya had received many complaints.
"Some had trouble finding parking while some husbands need to drive their wives to work if wives could not drive.
"I realised with this new rule, there is a possibility that supermarkets will be crowded but based on my observations, all supermarkets follow the SOPs that the government has put in place.
"To avoid long queues, I would suggest husbands who drive their wives to the supermarket to stay in the car and let wives shop.
"I hope all the SOPs will be observed because we do not want supermarkets to be crowded," he told a press conference in Putrajaya today.
On higher education students returning to their hometowns, Ismail said 1,029 students will be travelling to the east coast at 9pm tonight.
This involves 80 buses along with 73 private vehicles heading for 31 destinations in Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan, Ismail said.
Aside from that, 519 students living around Perak have left their campuses at 9am today and they are expected to arrive at their respective destinations at 5pm.
"1,366 students in the southern zone will be sent within the same zone which involves 76 buses. The students will leave at 9pm today.
"280 students in Sarawak who are travelling within the state have started at 9am today and they are scheduled to arrive at their respective locations at 9pm today," he said.
The total number of students travelling today, according to Ismail, is 3,841 and family members who are expected to pick the students up have been identified by local police stations.
He assured parents who are not able to pick up their children that government officers will send them home.
As the country entered its 44th day under the Movement Control Order (MCO), Ismail said there are still those defying the rules and as of yesterday, 22,432 individuals have been arrested.
He said 978 people have been charged in court yesterday, while 598 were remanded and 85 released on police bail.
He also said that as of today, 232 quarantine centres are operating, compared to only 226 yesterday.
"17,447 individuals have been quarantined. Yesterday, 825 Malaysians have returned to the country and they are currently undergoing the compulsory 14-day quarantine," he said.