Adequate security personnel to tackle COVID-19 - Ismail Sabri

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of national security personnel is still sufficient to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic although some of them are positive due to the virus infection and need to be quarantined.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said his ministry was also prepared for any possibility and had an action plan to overcome it.

He said the plan included mobilising personnel from other areas to help those areas impacted by members who were detected positive COVID-19 or quarantined.

So far we are still able to 'mobilise' personnel from other areas to help the affected areas when their members are infected.

"We still have enough personnel, the people do not have to worry even if there are cases, we are still ready and able to add personnel and also to replace those involved," he said at a press conference on the development of the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) here, today.

On Oct 27, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin was reported to have said that more than 10,000 officers and policemen were quarantined while at least 200 others were being treated after being confirmed positive for COVID-19 infection.

Hamzah said the high rate of infection among members of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) had hampered the capability and strength of PDRM in the task of maintaining national security and peace.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said food assistance would only be given to areas declared as under Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) and not under Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) areas.

He said this was because the area declared as CMCO was still allowed to carry out economic activities as usual.

"This includes Omadal Island, Sabah which is declared as a CMCO area where the residents in the area can still do economic activities.

"Besides that, Omadal Island is not listed as the six EMCO localities and because of that the government does not send any food aid," he said.

Ismail Sabri said if the residents of Omadal Island needed food assistance, the matter would be referred to the Sabah Disaster Management Committee.

He said this when asked to comment on allegations that the residents of Omadal Island did not receive assistance from the National Security Council.

-- BERNAMA