KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — The government has extended the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) to various parts of central Kuala Lumpur around Masjid India.
Senior Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the fifth EMCO, which starts from today until April 28, covers Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Jalan Dang Wangi, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Melaka, and Jalan Ampang surrounding Masjid India.
“The SOP (standard operating procedure) is the same like the SOP in the first, second, third, and fourth EMCO,” Ismail Sabri told a press conference.
Under the EMCO, people are not allowed to leave their homes, while others are prohibited from entering the area.
He added that the EMCO on Simpang Renggam, Kluang, Johor, as well as on Menara City One on Jalan Munshi Abdullah, and at the Selangor Mansion and Malayan Mansion flats in Masjid India, would be extended to April 28, due to a rise of Covid-19 cases in those communities.
Based on Health Minister Dr Adham Baba’s advice, however, Ismail Sabri said the authorities have ended the EMCO on villages in Hulu Langat, Selangor, except for a tahfiz school and on a house in Batu 23, Kampung Payu Lebar, Sungai Lui, that reported new coronavirus cases.
Ismail Sabri also said authorities would no longer prioritise fines over prosecution for individuals who violate the Movement Control Order (MCO) from tomorrow onwards, the third phase of the MCO, because of a rise of violations against the partial lockdown. The police arrested yesterday 1,374 people for violating the MCO, including 931 individuals who were fined RM1,000.
“It looks like the people are not afraid of the law that we have today. Maybe RM1,000 is not considered high enough to scare people who continue to violate the MCO. So we have agreed that from tomorrow, the police will not focus on compounds. Whoever is arrested from tomorrow onwards will be remanded and brought to court,” he said.
He added, however, that the police would still be given discretion to impose fines in certain cases.
