Police to suspend acceptance of Miti travel letters
Due to misuse, cops to reject letters until July 21 to curb illegal Aidiladha hometown exodus
JEMPOL: Interstate travel approval letters issued by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (Miti) for business and work purposes was disallowed for four days effective yesterday as certain individuals were found to have abused them to return to their hometowns for the upcoming Aidiladha holiday period.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said a similar situation occurred during the Aidilfitri celebrations on May 12, triggering 36 Covid-19 clusters.
“I think everyone would have started their holidays today (in conjunction with Aidiladha). During Aidilfitri, hundreds of thousands travelled interstate with various reasons, including using the interstate travel letter meant for work.
“There are probably also those who use their ‘expertise’ to evade the police by travelling through plantation roads and so on, but you can’t deceive Covid19,” he told reporters after visiting a drive-thru vaccination centre at the Jempol district office hall in Bandar Seri Jempol yesterday.
Ismail Sabri reminded the public not to take chances and attempt crossing districts or states for the upcoming holidays, and instead take heed of the spike in Covid-19 cases.
Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani said in a statement on Saturday that police will not accept documents from the Miti as a valid movement permit from yesterday to July 21 for interstate travel.
Ismail Sabri, who is also defence minister, said the ministry has yet to receive any applications from the Health Ministry for more field hospitals to be set up, Bernama reported.
He said the Defence Ministry was ready to build four more field hospitals to help contain the pandemic, adding that there were six field hospitals currently in Pokok Sena, Kedah; Tawau, Sabah; Kapit, Sarawak; Kepala Batas, Penang, Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru and Labuan.