KUALA LUMPUR:Food will be provided for all individuals including foreigners in areas under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO), said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said although the cost of providing food might be high, it was still distributed to foreigners on humanitarian grounds, with the cost for non-citizens’ food usually borne by non-governmental organisations.

"The task of coordinating this (food supply) lies with the state disaster management committees; this issue should not arise.

"If there is an issue about not getting food supply, contact the State Disaster Management Committee or the state National Security Council (MKN), federal MKN or the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA)," he told a press conference on the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) at Wisma Pertahanan here today.

He was replying to a question on allegations that some local residents and foreigners in EMCO areas did not get food supply.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said university students undergoing industrial training should be given some kind of exemption by their employers like being allowed to go on leave so that they need not have to be in the office especially in COVID-19 red zones.

He said employers should use their discretion in this matter, as students on industrial training are not the responsibility of the Higher Education Ministry but come under the charge of employers where they are doing their training.

On workers who misused authorisation letters from employers to make personal travel, he said the companies concerned can take disciplinary action against them.

Asked on calls to increase the number of congregants allowed at prayer gatherings including Friday prayers in Conditional Movement Control Order areas, he said such matters come under the jurisdiction of state governments.

-- BERNAMA