KUALA LUMPUR:The Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) enforced throughout Sabah has been extended for another 14 days from Dec 7-20. 

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the decision was made based on advice and risk assessment by the Health Ministry (MoH) after finding that COVID-19 cases were still on the rise in several districts there. 

"Cumulatively, until Dec 3, a total of 29,577 positive COVID-19 cases were recorded throughout Sabah," he told a media conference on the Movement Control Order (MCO) today.

He said the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) at K-Avenue, Megacity in Penampang, which was enforced on Nov 22, ended today, but the area would still be subjected to CMCO standard operating procedures (SOPs).

He said the MoH had conducted 393 screenings in the area, of which 144 tested positive for the virus, but added that there were now only 17 active cases left as of Dec 3.

The CMCO in Labuan also ends tomorrow, and the duty-free island will now be back under the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO), Ismail Sabri said. 

Until Dec 3, he said a total of 1,365 positive COVID-19 cases were recorded throughout Labuan, of which 1,282 cases had fully recovered, with 76 active cases now being treated.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said although Sabah was under the CMCO, some of the SOPs will be relaxed,  including allowing individuals into the state for social purposes (Social Visit Pass), namely domestic admission for MyKad, MyPR, MyKAS holders; holders of valid long-term immigration pass (non-citizen); and spouses to Sabahans and dependents.

Besides this, non-Malaysians who do not have a long-term immigration pass must obtain special approval from the state government to be allowed in. 

“All individuals entering Sabah via air, sea and land must undergo the RT-PCR or RTK-Ag COVID-19 detection swab test three days before travel, and only individuals who do not have symptoms with negative test results are allowed in,” he said. 

Ismail Sabri said movements out of Sabah do not require police permission while adding that inter-district express and tourists bus services, as well as train services, are now allowed at 50 per cent capacity.

Tourism activities are also allowed with limited capacity, as well as compliance with the Domestic Travel Bubble SOPs and those related to the domestic tourism sector set by the Sabah Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment.

However, he said Indonesian and Philippine Non-Convention Ships (NCS) ships entering the waters of the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone); Malaysian NCS ships from ESSZone waters to the Philippines and Indonesia; Indonesian vessels transporting fish to Tawau and NCS ships from the Philippines passing through Sabah to Labuan waters are not allowed.

-- BERNAMA