KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 — The Defence Ministry announced today that it permits wedding receptions with attendance of over 500 guests in areas under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
However, the wedding receptions should be conducted by complying with standard operating procedures (SOPs) that have been announced by the National Security Council (NSC) and new conditions, according to Senior Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
“The wedding receptions conducted in a village or housing areas should be done with the supervision of members of the Malaysian Volunteers Department (RELA) and if the receptions are held at a hotel, it is necessary to be conducted with supervision from the hotel management,” Ismail Sabri told a virtual press conference today.
According to Ismail Sabri, wedding receptions with fewer than 100 guests require supervision from two RELA members, whereas wedding events that accommodate 100 to 300 guests require three RELA members.
Four RELA members should be present at wedding receptions with 300 to 500 guests, while for wedding events with over 500 guests, RELA will place supervisory members based on the total attendance and space of the event area.
Guests from outside CMCO areas who attend such events must show a wedding invitation card at police roadblocks to enter areas under CMCO.
The CMCO — which mandates school closures and prohibits non-essential services, as well as travel in and out of affected areas — has been imposed on Klang mukim in the district of Klang, Selangor; as well as six districts in Sabah: Sandakan, Papar, Tuaran, Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, and Putatan. All of these areas, except Penampang, are red zones, having recorded over 40 local Covid-19 cases in the past fortnight.
Ismail Sabri also announced today that the Pokok Sena prison in Kedah will be placed under CMCO, as the Ministry of Health (MOH) has confirmed an increase in Covid-19 cases involving prison staff, family members, police officers, and health workers there.
“After discussing with the Kedah state government, the government has decided to implement CMCO in Pokok Sena prison, including staff quarters for 14 days, effective from October 11, 12.01 midnight, until October 24,” said Ismail Sabri.
“The total number of occupants involved is 3,262 detainees and 587 staff.”
Ismail Sabri also emphasised that the implementation of this CMCO is to curb Covid-19 infection and transmission in the area and to enable targeted case tracing measures.
“During this period, any movement in and out involving this area including visits by families of detainees is not allowed,” Ismail Sabri added.
At the same time, the CMCO has also been extended in the Tawau and Taman Ehsan prisons.
“The government previously had extended CMCO in Tawau Prison and Taman Ehsan Prison quarters from September 26 to October 9. However, during this period there were still new positive Covid-19 cases being recorded in the area.
“After considering the risk assessment of the virus transmission, NSC has agreed to further CMCO in this area from October 10 until October 25. The extension of this period is required to enable MOH to conduct further screening activities.”
Besides that, the administrative Targeted Enhanced Movement Control Order (TEMCO) on four districts in Sabah — Lahad Datu, Tawau, Kunak, and Semporna — will also be extended from October 13 until October 26. Initially, the lockdown was scheduled to be completed by October 12.
The minister stated that the movement of boats will be restricted along the east coast of Sabah to curb the virus spread, while non-conventional ships from Indonesia and the Philippines involved in barter trade and transshipment will be banned.
“In order to tighten control on the East Coast of Sabah, the government has also increased the number of members and security assets to curb the arrival of illegal immigrants from neighboring countries,” Ismail Sabri mentioned.
