Almost 50,000 law enforcers help monitor MCO compliance - Ismail Sabri

KUALA LUMPUR, March 22  -- Almost 50,000 law enforcers comprising Armed Forces, police, RELA, and local authorities’ personnel are out to ensure public compliance of the Movement Control Order (MCO) announced by the government to flatten the infection curve of COVID-19.

Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said apart from state security councils, district disaster management centres would also be activated to help enforce the order.

He said although the police had so far found the compliance rate to be 90 per cent, he still viewed seriously the remaining 10 per cent as their numbers were also large given the population of over 31 million people in the country.

The government has also agreed to place police and military personnel at markets or supermarkets to monitor compliance with the call to practice social distancing, Ismail Sabri, who is also Defence Minister, told a media conference here today.

He said this was because most markets and supermarkets had remained congested even after the MCO entered its fifth day today.

On the deployment of Armed Forces personnel, Ismail Sabri said it was done in accordance with the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 and was not aimed at taking extreme action or claiming a state of emergency.

“Too many rumours and false news were circulated when the government announced that the Armed Forces will help the police. As if armoured vehicles would be used at roadblocks. It sounds funny, but this is what was circulated to scare the people.

“The Armed Forces personnel will only help the police in advising the public to adhere to the government’s directives. What is being done is something related to the prevention and control of infectious disease under the Ministry of Health, not something related to emergency law or the National Security Council.

“Yes, there is a punishment of two-year imprisonment but, as of today, the implementation of the movement control order is still at the advocacy level. It may change to a more stern action if the level of compliance is still low,” he said.

Ismail Sabri again stressed that the Armed Forces were just helping the police and not taking over their job, let alone in making arrests.

Ismail Sabri explained that the Armed Forces would only help the police in carrying out roadblocks, patrol in urban areas, including markets and hospitals, while also working closely with the Civil Defence Force (APM) and RELA.

“Their deployment includes control at entry points and border areas, as well as high-risk locations. Apart from the military, we have also secured the assistance from 1,462 members of RELA and about 3,000 members of APM. A committee chaired by the police will convene a meeting from time to time to increase the deployment of RELA members,” he said.

The minister said local authorities, such as the Kuala Lumpur City Hall in the capital, or any municipal or district council would also help monitor MCO compliance at public places, especially at morning markets and supermarkets nationwide.

On the participants of the tabligh gathering at Sri Petaling Mosque recently, Ismail Sabri said the police had successfully located almost 9,000 of them so far and they, as well as their family members, are requested to get tested for COVID-19 at any nearby clinic or hospital.

The same advice also goes to non-Malaysian participants of the gathering, he added.

-- BERNAMA