KUANTAN: The Pahang Sports Complex (Sukpa) at Indera Mahkota here has been cordoned off with barbed wire fencing as the indoor stadium is being used as a Covid-19 quarantine and low-risk treatment centre (PKRC).
Starting tomorrow, the complex will house 115 foreigners, who are Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms from the Jalan Genting cluster.
State National Security Council (NSC) chairman Mohd Zairasyahil Shah Zakaria said the "makeshift hospital" which is the first PKRC in Pahang would be able to accommodate more than 140 beds for Covid-19 patients at a time.
"Sukpa had been identified for any eventuality when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country in March. It is located far from residential housing areas and enforcement officers will be stationed around the clock to ensure no one escapes from the premises.
"The public should not worry as the premises will be tightly monitored and the foreigners will only be brought here once everything is in place. Work should be completed later today and the patients will arrive tomorrow," he told reporters after inspecting the PKRC here today.
He said the military and police began work yesterday to put up the 364m barb wire fencing around the complex while other enforcement agencies including Civil Defence Force (APM) personnel, health authorities and People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) members helped to setup the facilities inside the complex.
Meanwhile Zairasyahil Shah said the sudden surge in cases in Pahang had prompted the Covid-19 task force during a meeting with the state government yesterday to setup Sukpa to house non-Malaysians who were low-risk Covid-19 patients.
"The decision was taken to ensure the current situation (increase in cases) will not affect the existing treatment and services offered by government hospitals to people in Pahang. Sukpa was chosen due to its location which allows specialists from the nearby hospital to arrive within a short time frame," he said.
He said there are no suitable locations in Bentong as Institut Aminuddin Baki (IAB) is deployed as a centre for health staff and enforcement authorities who are on duty at the three localities placed under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) around Genting Highlands.
"Furthermore, there are more than 60 residents who are staying within the IAB premises. The Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) in Bentong is not suitable as it is an education institute and might cause some uneasiness among students, and parents," he said, when asked why the state government did not setup a PKRC in Bentong.
Meanwhile, state police chief Datuk Seri Abdul Jalil Hassan said once the foreigners arrive at PKRC, there will be between 30 and 50 enforcement personnel stationed in several shifts.
"Besides the police and military, the Immigration department, firemen and other agencies will assist us at the complex. There are two layers of barbed wire fencing to prevent anyone from escaping," he said, adding the main road to the complex will be closed to the public.
Yesterday, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said three localities in Bentong - Ria Apartment, Amber Court Apartment and a workers' quarters in Kampung Semaut - will come under EMCO from today until December 23.
Pahang yesterday recorded 119 positive cases largely from the Jalan Genting cluster.