KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 — The previous Movement Control Order (MCO) regulation has been nullified upon implementation of the relaxed Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) today, Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.
The senior defence minister said that it was “wrong in the eyes of the law” for people to follow the fourth phase of the MCO from April 29 to May 12 — which had generally closed non-essential businesses and banned people from travelling beyond 10km from their homes — as MCO 4 has now been replaced with the federal CMCO (or MCO 5) that allowed the reopening of the economy, and free movements and social activities for people, except for mass gatherings and travelling to other states.
“All states and districts are subject to Act 342 and the regulation gazetted for this fifth MCO,” Ismail Sabri told a press conference today, referring to the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.
The fifth regulation on the relaxed lockdown under the CMCO, however, has yet to be published on the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ website at the time of writing.
Health Minister Dr Adham Baba told CodeBlue earlier today that the standard operating procedures (SOP) for the CMCO have been finalised.
Six states — Sabah, Sarawak, Kedah, Penang, Pahang, and Kelantan — have deferred implementing the CMCO today, pending further study on the state of Covid-19 infections in their territories.
Selangor, the country’s most developed state, has largely followed the new relaxed lockdown measures and reopened businesses today, only prohibiting dine-in at eateries and closing a few public parks. Negri Sembilan has also reopened certain economic sectors, but will maintain restrictions on social activities; businesses are not allowed to resume in certain areas with new coronavirus cases.
Business premises and most public facilities are under local council jurisdiction, although health is under federal purview.
Ismail Sabri also clarified that the 10km rule under the previous MCO no longer applied to the CMCO. But he maintained that the fifth regulation on the lockdown still mandated punishment of an RM1,000 fine, six months’ jail, or both for non-compliance.
“There is no longer a restriction of a 10km-radius in the CMCO regulation,” the senior minister said.
“However, interstate travel is still in the list of prohibitions. So interstate travel will not be allowed during the fifth MCO, or the CMCO.”
Update at 6:20pm:
The regulation for the CMCO, or the fifth regulation under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act, has been published on the AGC’s website. Read the story here.
