Police and Armed Forces personnel inspect vehicles during a roadblock at the Gombak Toll Plaza May 5, 2021. ― Picture by Hari Anggara
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KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 — Police will intensify enforcement and control at state and district borders as well as crowded areas to ensure that members of the public comply with the Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) and do not travel across states or districts.
In fact, several state chief police officers today joined their men to ensure that enforcement of the SOP compliance was implemented in a bid to break the chain of infection.
In the capital city, which has been placed under the movement control order (MCO) since Friday, Kuala Lumpur police have set up 91 SOP Compliance Monitoring teams comprising five officers and 1,200 personnel, who will be deployed to crowded areas to carry out monitoring activities.
Kuala Lumpur Police chief Datuk Azmi Abu Kassim, when met after carrying out an SOP compliance operation at the Aidilfitri Bazaar in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (TAR) here, said the teams would issue reminders to the public from time to time to always adhere to the SOP.
He said police would be assisted by 61 enforcement teams from other agencies, like the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) and Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF).
Compounds will also be issued to individuals who are complacent and refuse to obey the stipulated directives, he said.
In Johor, many continued to try their luck by applying for permission for interstate and interdistrict travels, and one of the excuses given was to return home for the Hari Raya holidays to visit their families.
Johor Police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said that from April 25 to yesterday, they received 19,090 applications for interstate and interdistrict movement.
A total of 465 applications were rejected due to unreasonable excuses, he told reporters after monitoring the roadblock in Seelong here.
“(After this) no more advice. We have advised and warned them many times. If we detain them (after this), we will straight away compound them, so don’t say police are inconsiderate.
“Warning has been given, so be responsible,” he said, adding that a total of 1,212 police officers and personnel would be on duty during Aidilfitri, with 840 of them manning roadblocks.
In Penang, police have increased roadblocks from 15 to 41 following the implementation of the MCO in three districts and three sub-districts in the state from tomorrow until May 23 in a bid to ensure nobody travels across states or districts.
“A total of 3,500 out of the 6,022 police personnel in the state will be involved in Covid-19-related assignments, including for roadblocks as well as Ops Covid, while the rest will carry out existing essential tasks,” he said when contacted.
In Penang, the areas involved are the Timur Laut, Seberang Perai Tengah and Seberang Perai Selatan districts; and Mukim 12, Barat Daya; Butterworth city and Mukim 14, Seberang Perai Utara.
Sahabudin said police would be more careful in approving applications for interstate or interdistrict movement to ensure that nobody takes advantage by providing inaccurate information.
“Various excuses are given but we want proof if the permission given is misused, there will be no more warnings, we will issue compounds right away,” he said. — Bernama