EMCO: Family of five on boat ordered to turn back

KOTA KINABALU: Marine police on Thursday ordered a pump boat with five people on board, including a baby, to turn back for violating the conditional movement control order (CMCO) near Kampung Numbak, Sepanggar.

The family of five was on their way to the city centre on a pump boat from Kampung Kuala Menggatal, near Kampung Numbak, to send one of the daughters, aged 13, to hospital after she was believed to have caught the flu since Monday.

Marine police spotted the pump boat around 11 am, on Nov 19, and immediately intercepted it.

The family was however unable to provide any documents or letters from their village chief which would enable them to leave their village for the state capital.

The reason for the strict enforcement by the authorities was mainly due to the Sabah state government’s decision to enforce an enhanced movement control order (EMCO) in Kampung Numbak beginning from Nov 16 until Nov 29.

Sabah Deputy Commissioner of Police Datuk Mazli Mazlan said, besides Kampung

Numbak, Telipok Settlement was also put under EMCO by the state government.

“This is due to the increased number of Covid-19 cases from both areas,” he said during an inspection at Kampung Numbak, here yesterday.

Also present was Kota Kinabalu police chief ACP Habibi Majinji.

Mazli added that marine police are tightening their water patrol operations to ensure villagers from Kampung Numbak abide by the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the health ministry.

“Marine police are monitoring the entry point of Kampung Numbak to ensure no boats leave the area as the village is under EMCO,” he said.

Mazli said since the EMCO was enforced on Nov 16, villagers from Kampung Numbak have been cooperative and followed instruction from the police.

“We have seen less movement in the area and we hope the villagers will continue to give their full cooperation to help stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus,” said Mazli.

The Sabah state government decided to enforce an enhanced movement control order (EMCO) in Kampung

Numbak after tests found 134 positive Covid-19 cases in the village while 207 positive Covid-19 cases were recorded in Telipok Settlement.

Both localities have a dense population totaling about 21,000 people.

Mazli (left) and Habibi (second right) checking on SOP compliance among residents of Kampung Numbak, which is under enhanced movement control order.

Marine police instructing the family to turn back to Kampung Kuala Menggatal as they were violating the SOP.