Arrests for SOP breach trending downwards
KUALA LUMPUR: The number of people detained for violating movement restrictions’ standard operating procedures (SOP) is fluctuating, but is also on a downward trend.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said 38 people were detained on Monday for violating the SOP, with 30 issued compounds and eight remanded.
On Sunday, six people were arrested and last Thursday, 52 were nabbed over SOP offences.
Ismail Sabri said 17 were nabbed for not providing materials to record visitors’ details, 12 for interstate or inter-district travel without permission, seven for not wearing face masks, one for operating beyond permitted hours and one for not practising physical distancing.
He said the SOP Compliance Task Force headed by police carried out 65,159 checks nationwide.
He said 3,592 teams comprising 15,561 personnel checked 4,544 supermarkets, 5,674 restaurants, 3,992 hawker stalls, 2,743 factories and 968 government offices.
He said the national task force in charge of the integrated Op Benteng arrested 27 undocumented migrants and seized 11 land vehicles on Monday.
He said 266 Op Benteng and Op Penawar roadblocks were mounted nationwide by the police, Malaysian Border Security Agency and armed forces.
He said 568 more people returned via international entry points on Monday and were ordered to undergo quarantine.
This brings the total number of people who returned to Malaysia from abroad or were permitted to enter the country between July 24 last year and Monday to 160,076.
The returnees were placed under quarantine at 78 hotels and 11 facilities nationwide.
Ismail Sabri said 74 sanitisation operations were carried out nationwide on Monday, involving 19 red zones, five orange zones, 11 yellow zones and two green zones.
He said up to Monday, the police and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission had opened 289 investigation papers on Covid-19-related fake news.
“Of the total, 115 cases are under investigation, 51 have been charged in court and 12 have been issued with warning notices.
“For the cases that have been brought to court, 30 were found guilty, one was acquitted and the rest are still on trial.”
On the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) at Rumah Sewa Anong and Rumah Sewa Beverly Hills in Bintulu, Ismail Sabri said it was lifted yesterday ahead of schedule.
“The EMCO at these two areas ended earlier than the scheduled March 25 because the Covid-19 situation is now under control.
“To date, the Health Ministry has screened 1,407 people.
“The Health Ministry has confirmed that positive cases in these localities are on a downward trend and under control, with the latest positive case reported on March 18.”
As such, he said, the government agreed to end the EMCO at Rumah Sewa Anong and Rumah Sewa Beverly Hills.