Bookstores, stationery, computer and telco shops can operate from tomorrow - DPM

KUALA LUMPUR: Shops selling computers, telecommunication devices, books and stationery are allowed to operate for the duration of the National Recovery Plan (PPN) effective tomorrow.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, in a statement today, said the special session of the National Security Council (MKN) today agreed to permit them to operate after taking into account feedback from students, parents and teachers.

"This is to ensure that teachers and students can conduct teaching and learning at home (PdPR) without interruption," he said.

Ismail Sabri said the COVID-19 pandemic had changed the way of daily learning, and all educational institutions were now practising the PdPR system online.

He said the special meeting today also agreed to allow the movement of students from areas under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) or to EMCO areas, subject to police permission, for the purpose of taking examinations, including professional ones.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said the EMCO in five localities in Perak, Melaka and Sabah has been extended effective Saturday to July 30, involving Latexx Manufacturing Sdn Bhd Factory and the workers' hostels, namely Latexx Village and Ivor Hostel in Taiping, Perak.

In Melaka, the EMCO has been extended in Taman Mewah Kelemak, Alor Gajah while in Sabah the locality involved is Taman Jaya Diri in Kota Kinabalu, he said.

Ismail Sabri said the EMCO will end in a total of nine localities in Kuala Lumpur effective tomorrow, including four People's Housing Programme (PPR) areas, namely Sri Semarak, Batu Muda, Kampung Baru Air Panas and Kerinchi.

Other areas in Kuala Lumpur are Kampung Padang Balang, Taman Koperasi Polis (phase two), Flat Sri Sabah, Bandar Baru Sentul and Taman Ikan Emas. The EMCO will also end tomorrow in two localities in Tawau, Sabah, namely in Kampung Mangga in Nasip Kita and Kampung Kijang in Balung.

In Sabah, the EMCO will also end in Kampung Lingkodon in Kota Belud, Kampung Pintas Kubu di Beaufort, Kampung Muhibbah in Putatan and Kampung Goshen in Kota Marudu tomorrow. The EMCO in Mukim Kuala Kuantan Satu in Kuantan, Pahang, meanwhile will also end tomorrow while in Mukim Kuala Kuantan Dua it will end on Saturday.

Ismail Sabri said a total of 180 premises, including factories, business premises and construction sites were ordered to close yesterday for failing to comply with standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Also, a total of 438 individuals were detained yesterday for violating SOPs and out of that number, 404 individuals were compounded, 33 were remanded and one was released on bail.

-- BERNAMA