FESTIVE CRACKDOWN
This is to prevent people from abusing it to balik kampung for Aidiladha, says Ismail Sabri
ENFORCEMENT against interstate travel is stepped up with Miti documents no longer accepted until July 21. With 153 deaths yesterday, state health authorities are also appealing to the people not to balik kampung for Hari Raya Aidiladha to curb Covid-19 clusters.
THE government has stepped up enforcement to deter people from travelling to their hometowns for Hari Raya Aidiladha tomorrow.
This is to avoid a repeat of scenes that took place ahead of Hari Raya Aidilifitri in May, where scores of motorists clogged up highways, defying travel bans to balik kampung, creating new Covid-19 clusters.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said interstate travel approval letters issued by the Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) for business and work would not be recognised by the authorities for four days beginning yesterday.
This, he said, was to deter people from abusing the letters to return to their hometowns for Aidiladha.
He said a similar situation happened during the Aidilfitri celebration on May 12, which triggered 36 clusters.
“I think everyone would have started their holidays today (in conjunction with Aidiladha.
“During Aidilfitri, hundreds of thousands travelled interstate for various reasons, including using the interstate travel letter meant for work.
“There are probably also those who evade police by travelling through plantation roads. But you can’t deceive Covid-19.”
He said this after visiting the drive-thru vaccination centre at the Jempol district office hall in Bandar Seri Jempol here yesterday.
He said on Friday, 4,839 vehicles were ordered to turn back as they did not have a valid travel permit.
Ismail Sabri said it was the highest number since the National Recovery Plan came into force.
He said security personnel had been instructed to be prepared to face an increased number of vehicles attempting interstate travel without permission from authorities.
“Yesterday (Saturday), 381,952 vehicles were inspected in roadblocks nationwide.”
He advised the public against trying to sneak back to their hometowns.
He said they should stay home to prevent getting infected or infecting others.
“The increase in cases and clusters following interstate travel and house visits during Aidilfitri should serve as a lesson for all.
“The standard operating procedures (SOP) put in place to break the chain of Covid-19 infection should not be taken lightly,” he said.
Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani on Saturday said police would not accept MITI documents as a movement permit from July 18 to 21 for interstate travel.
He said this was following the detection of an increased number of vehicles in highways over the past few days.
Meanwhile, police have adopted other measures to prevent people from using rat lanes to evade the authorities.
Federal police Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department
director Datuk Zainal Abidin Kasim said these measures included setting up concrete structures to block off smaller roads during this period.
In Kangar, Raja Muda of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail said anyone involved in interstate travel would be banned from participating in Aidiladha prayers in Perlis tomorrow.
Tuanku Syed Faizuddin said the ban involved all interstate travellers either with or without permission, including those who commute to work daily.
“Family members of those travelling interstate are also prohibited from taking part in Aidiladha prayers in open areas unless they have completed both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine,” he said in a statement issued by the Perlis Islamic Affairs and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs).
Tuanku Syed Faizuddin, who is MAIPs president, said mosques had the right to reprimand and bar the entry of any member of the congregation who did not comply with the SOP.
Page 1: A policeman checking the travel documents of a lorry driver at a roadblock in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.