KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — The government will prohibit travel in and out of Klang, including Port Klang — the busiest port in Malaysia and second largest in Southeast Asia — from this Friday under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
Besides the entire district of Klang in Selangor, a district which is 626.78 sq km large, the CMCO will also be implemented in three Sabah districts — Sandakan, Papar, and Tuaran — from October 9.
Senior Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the decision on the CMCO effective October 9 was made as the four districts have been classified as red zones with more than 40 active Covid-19 cases each.
“The CMCO will be implemented to contain the transmission and infection of Covid-19 in those districts and to allow targeted case detection throughout 14 days,” Ismail Sabri said in a statement.
When asked if the CMCO on Klang included Port Klang, a Defence Ministry corporate communications official told the press that it did as the lockdown covered the entire district of Klang.
He also said the National Security Council (NSC) would soon issue movement restriction guidelines on Port Klang, when asked about the missing rules for ports in Ismail Sabri’s written statement.
The district of Klang has turned into a red zone with 77 active local Covid-19 cases, after reporting 17 new infections yesterday. Red zones are areas with more than 40 local coronavirus infections reported in the past 14 days.
Under the CMCO, whose end-date was not specified, only two people per household will be allowed to leave their home to get food and daily necessities. Working residents are not allowed to leave the area for work, as authorities instructed employers to allow their employees to take leave or work from home.
Only essential services, including factories and related supply chains, will be allowed to operate, which will soon be listed by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, while non-essential services are to shutter. Workers in essential services must get police permission before resuming work.
Vehicles transporting essential goods are allowed to enter and leave the districts under CMCO on condition of prior police permission.
All sports, recreational, social, and cultural activities are prohibited, as well as places of worship, kindergartens, preschool, schools, tahfiz centres, higher education learning institutions, skills training institutes, and child care centres.
The Ministry of Education said separately that all schools in Klang, Sandakan, Papar, and Tuaran would be closed from tomorrow till October 23. This affects 142 schools in Klang and 242 schools in the three Sabah districts — which are primary and secondary schools under MOE, as well as registered private schools. Boarding schools, including vocational colleges, will also be shuttered.
“However, students who are waiting to be picked up by their parents, or students who wish to remain in boarding schools and vocational colleges throughout the period of the school closure will be under the care of the warden. Food and drink for these students during this period will be prepared by the school.
“Since many schools are currently running SPM trials, schools affected by the closure can reschedule these examinations to an appropriate date later on.”
Under the CMCO in Klang, Sandakan, Papar, and Tuaran, dine-ins are not allowed either, with residents only allowed to purchase food at drive-throughs, takeaways, or deliveries.
Express buses and buses which make frequent stops will not be allowed to operate during the CMCO. Taxis and e-hailing vehicles can only carry a maximum of two passengers. These vehicles, as well as food delivery, are mandated to follow 6am to 8pm operating hours.
Petrol stations, restaurants, eateries, grocery stores, pharmacies, and drug stores can only operate from 6am to 6pm, while daily markets can open only from 6am to 2pm. Night markets, tamu, wholesale markets, and farmers’ markets are prohibited.
Public and private clinics and hospitals are allowed to operate 24 hours a day. Emergency cases must apply for travel permission from the authorities.
Update at 10.25pm: This article included information from the Ministry of Education on school closures in Klang, Sandakan, Papar, and Tuaran.
