EMCO at Pokok Sena Prison in Kedah, seven localities in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) will be implemented at the Pokok Sena Prison in Kedah, six localities in Semporna and one locality in Kunak in Sabah from Oct 11 to 24.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the EMCO placed on Pokok Sena Prison also involved staff quarters affecting 3,262 detainees and 587 government servants while in Semporna and Kunak, 35,643 residents would come under the order.

“During the period, movement in and out of the areas including visits by families of inmates would not be allowed.

“All standard operating procedures (SOP) in force are the same as in other prisons which have been stipulated under EMCO to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the areas apart from enabling a targeted detection exercise to be carried out,” he told a virtual media conference via the Defence Ministry Facebook today.

For the implementation of EMCO in Semporna and Kunak in Sabah, Ismail Sabri said it involved six red zones in Semporna and one red zone in Kunak.

He said the EMCO in Semporna would cover Kampung Bangau-Bangau, Kampung Panji, Kampung Air, Kampung Selamat, Kampung Simunul and Kampung Pinggir Bakau while in Kunak, Kampung Pangkalan.

“During the period, residents have to comply with the stipulated SOP such as not being allowed to leave their houses while schools, mosques and places of worship are closed. The Health Ministry (MOH) would be conducting targeted screening on residents involved,” he said.

He added that food supply distributed by the state government would be coordinated by the State Disaster Operation Control Centre.

The EMCO in Tawau Prison and Taman Ehsan Prison quarters in Sabah, has been extended from Oct 10 to Oct 25 following an increase in new positive COVID-19 cases.

Earlier, EMCO for the area was extended by two weeks from Sept 26 to Oct 9.

Meanwhile, on the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in Tawau, Kunak, Semporna and Lahad Datu implemented from Sept 29 and is scheduled to end on Oct 12, Ismail Sabri said the duration would be extended from Oct 13 to 26.

In another development, Ismail Sabri said several new measures have been introduced in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) effective from Oct 11 to curb the entry of illegal immigrants.

He said among the new measures was to curb the the movement of small boats from islands in ESSZone to the mainland including boat movements in the coastal areas to buy food and necessities would only be allowed from 6 am tom 6 pm.

“For fishermen boats and boats carrying fish in the ESSZone waters which have been registered with the Fisheries Department would be allowed to go out from 6am to 6 pm and they must carry a permit issued by the respective district police chief.

“All non-conventional ships (NCS) from Indonesia and Philippines would not be allowed carry out barter trade and transhipments are not allowed,” he said.

-- BERNAMA