CMCO: Government agrees to six passengers in private vehicles

The government has agreed to relax the rules by allowing private vehicles to carry a maximum of six passengers compared to the previous four-person directive during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).

However, Senior Minister (Security Cluster), Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the directive was subject to the capacity of a vehicle capable of loading such a number of people.

“We have already discussed at the Special Ministers Meeting that four (passengers) is probably for a suitable car.

“We agree based on capacity. If the car is a MPV (multi-purpose vehicle), it can have six (passengers).

"So, we allow and agree to allow six in one car but I'm just not sure if the act on the matter has been amended.

"Once it is gazetted, it can allow up to six people according to the capacity of the car," he told a daily press conference here today.

Ismail Sabri said that so far the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) has not disclosed any cases involving excess passengers in private vehicles.

However, he was aware that the authorities had also used discretion in certain cases.

“Sometimes, as I have said, the act is there and clear but the police sometimes use discretion.

“(For example), there are four people and suddenly had a baby on his mother's lap, and that makes five (passengers). Based on the act, action can be taken for a car to have five people but usually the police will use their discretion,” he added.