KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 (NNN-BERNAMA) — The government has agreed to implement the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) throughout Sabah effective from 12.01 am on Oct 13 until Oct 26.
Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the decision was made on the advice of the Ministry of Health (MOH) and after taking into consideration the rising number of infections in the state.
“With the implementation of the CMCO, all residents must comply with the stipulated standard operating procedure (SOP). Among them being all residents are not allowed to leave their homes.
“However, for workers who need to make inter-district travels, they only need to show their work pass or authorisation letter from their employers,” he said at a press conference from his house that was streamed live via the Defence Ministry’s Facebook page today.
Also during the period, Ismail Sabri said only two people per household would be allowed to go out to purchase daily necessities, including food.
Meanwhile, he said that all schools, institutions of higher learning, training institutes, kindergartens, childcare centres, tahfiz centres, public parks and recreational centres will also be closed.
Mosques, suraus and other non-Muslim places of worship will also be closed while all sports, recreation, social and cultural activities, including wedding receptions, are not allowed.
“All economic, industrial and business activities are allowed to operate as usual, but with stricter compliance of the SOP that has been and will be issued by the National Security Council (MKN).
“Wholesale and daily markets can only operate from 6 am to 2 pm; while stores selling necessities, convenience stores, sundry shops, restaurants, eateries, stalls can operate from 6 am to 6 pm and will be limited to drive-through, deliveries and takeaways only,” he said, adding that petrol stations will also be allowed to operate from 6 am to 6 pm only.
Ismail Sabri said that government clinics and hospitals will be open for 24 hours while pharmacies and medicine stores can only operate from 6 am to 6 pm.
Ismail Sabri said that taxi or e-hailing and food delivery services will be allowed to operate from 6 am to 8 pm while express buses and public stage buses are not allowed to operate.
He said the fisheries, farming and agricultural sectors are allowed to operate during this period, while the business and manufacturing sectors, including the small and medium industries (SMIs), which plan to operate could seek approval from the Sabah State Disaster Management Committee.
He said the government had also agreed to impose the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in Felda Umas, Tawau from 12.01 am on Oct 13 to Oct 26.
The EMCO in the area involves 800 households and a total of 17,549 residents, who are all not allowed to leave their houses during that period and the MOH will conduct targeted screenings on all the residents involved.
“All entryways in the EMCO area will be closed. Only for emergency cases, such as illness or deaths, will they be allowed to leave the zone but they must first seek police permission.
“Food supplies will be distributed by the state government and will be coordinated by the state disaster operations control centre,” he said.
— NNN-BERNAMA