KUALA LUMPUR: More roadblocks will be mounted, especially in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, as there are still many vehicles on the roads at certain locations.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said he was not satisfied with the situation, despite the total lockdown since Tuesday (June 1).
"We already discussed this matter and decided that more roadblocks will be mounted nationwide, alongside increased monitoring starting today," he said after inspecting a shopping mall here.
Yesterday, he said, 930 roadblocks under Ops Benteng were carried out nationwide.
"(And) we will increase it further at locations where there are still a large number of vehicles, based on the statistics obtained in the first two days of the full lockdown.
"It could be more than 1,000 roadblocks mounted daily."
Hamzah said the decision was based on discussions with Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani, with Selangor and Kuala Lumpur as the main focus.
"The increase in the number of roadblocks in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur is to limit the movement of vehicles.
"Besides that, some locations in Penang will also see an increase in the number of roadblocks, due to a large number of vehicles."
Previously, Hamzah had said that the police will increase roadblocks from about 600 to 800 nationwide during the two-week total lockdown.
Some 70,000 policemen and agencies under the ministry will be deployed throughout the period.
In another development, a monitoring group comprising relevant authorities will be stationed at mall entrances this weekend and on Monday, to prevent an increase in the number of people.
Monday is a public holiday, in conjunction with the official birthday celebration of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
"Malls will be the focus of many for leisure activities and meet-ups.
"As such, I'm urging everyone not to make the mall a location to meet, except for those who want to buy essential items."