KUALA LUMPUR: The Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in force at Rumah Sewa Anong and Rumah Sewa Beverly Hills in Bintulu, Sarawak, due to COVID-19 was lifted today, two days earlier than scheduled.

The EMCO at the localities, which should have ended on March 18, had been extended for a week to March 25.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who disclosed this, said the decision to lift the EMCO was made after a COVID-19 risk assessment as the number of positive cases is on the decline, with the last case reported on March 18.

“So far, the Health Ministry has conducted 1,407 tests and, cumulatively, 85 cases were recorded,” he said in a statement on developments with regard to the MCO.

He also said that 38 people were arrested in the past 24 hours up to noon today for breaching MCO standard operating procedures (SOPs), of whom 30 were issued with compound fines and the remaining eight were remanded.

The highest number of 17 offences involved failure to provide materials for recording customer information,
followed by attempts to travel across districts and states (12 offences), not wearing face masks (seven) and failure to observe physical distancing and keeping premises open on extended hours (one each), he said.

Ismail Sabri said the ‘Operasi Benteng’ operation against the entry of illegal immigrants saw the arrest of 27 illegal immigrants and the seizure of 11 land vehicles while 117 boats were sighted in Malaysian waters in five instances.

He also said that 568 people arrived at the country’s international entry points yesterday and all of them were subjected to COVID-19 quarantine at centres nationwide.

-- BERNAMA