Selangor Mansion, Malayan Mansion buildings fourth location placed under EMCO

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 -- The government has decided to enforce the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) at the Selangor Mansion and Malayan Mansion buildings in Jalan Masjid India here, effective today.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakon said the decision to execute the fourth directive of the EMCO was made upon the advice of the Ministry of Health (MOH) after 15 positive cases of COVID-19 were recorded at the two buildings.

He said the EMCO involving around 6,000 residents in 365 residential and commercial units in the building, takes effect from today until all residents are screened.

“With the execution and throughout the duration of the EMCO, all residents are prohibited from exiting the area; all non-residents and visitors are prohibited from entering the area; and, all entry and exit points will be sealed.

“All residents will also be required to undergo COVID-19 screening and a medical base will be set up in the EMCO area,” he told a press conference after chairing the meeting of the Special Ministerial Committee on the MCO here today.

Ismail Sabri also called on the residents to remain calm and to give their full cooperation to the MOH officers and to comply with the authorities’ instructions.

To ensure the compliance of the EMCO, Royal Malaysia Police, Malaysian Armed Forces, Civil Defence Force, the Kuala Lumpur City Council and RELA will administer the area, he said.

The EMCO had earlier been enforced at three other locations, namely Simpang Renggam in Kluang, Johor; Sungai Lui in Hulu Langat, Selangor; and Menara City One in Jalan Munshi Abdullah in the capital.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri, who is also Defence Minister, said the Home Minister (KDN) and the National Security Council (MKN) were expected to announce the new zone-based MCO standard operating procedure (SOP) this Thursday.

“There may be some leeways if the area has not reported any case of COVID-19 infection. For example, for a green zone area, the residents may not be allowed to exit the area, while non-residents may not be allowed to enter. This is to prevent the green zone from turning into a red zone.

“The same goes for the red zone, the new SOP prepared for the zone may be stricter compared to the SOP for the green zone…the details will be announced later,” he said.

The minister also said that the KDN and MKN would also review the types of businesses to be allowed to operate during the MCO.

At the same time, he said even if the MCO ended on April 14, a certain post-MCO SOP would also be prepared to prevent the re-emergence of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“We know the people are getting anxious, they cannot just stay home any longer. So, we are looking into the effects should the regulations are loosened. While we want to give the people the freedom of movement, we cannot afford to risk having to reserve the decision and enforce a much longer MCO.

“So, it is better for us to slowly return to our normal life and be sure that there will be no more MCO,” he said.

-- BERNAMA