EMCO: A unit of up to 30 people, they may be moved to quarantine centre - Annuar Musa

The Federal Territories Ministry will relocate residents of the Selangor Mansion and Malayan Mansion buildings in Jalan Masjid India here which have been placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO).

Its minister, Tan Sri Annuar Musa, said, he would consider the proposal made by the Ministry of Health (MOH) after finding the population density in both buildings was too high.

“The early signs indicate that there are several units housing up to 30 people living in one unit (at the Selangor Mansion). So, if that happens, and there are 160 units here, if 10 people share one unit, that's 1,600 and two blocks would mean about 3,200 people.

“There (at the Malayan Mansion) there are also almost 3,200 people there. So, (in total) almost 7,000 people. We are handling a large number of close contacts. The number is huge, bigger than a village.

"I need to be more careful and look at all aspects to minimize the problem, manage health workers, safety, welfare, food supplies and psychology," he said when met by the media after checking out the implementation of the EMCO process in both buildings today.

Annuar said that at this time, the health team would enter the buildings to obtain samplings as well as making appropriate assessment following the high population density there.

“When we find the density is too high and the MOH advises to relocate them, we will look at that possibility.

“It means they (the residents) need to go to the quarantine centre. It also depends on the increasing number of cases influenced by the population density.

"Here, there are some who live according to shifts, some who sit at home during the day, and some who sit at home at night. When we implement the EMCO, all 20 or 30 people from the same unit, had to be home all at the same time.

"This can only make the situation worse. And if that is the case, other than MOH advising them to reduce their numbers to a manageable number and safer in terms of health, we have no other choice but to take them to the quarantine centre," he said.

At the same time, Annuar said he has also sought the cooperation of the embassies of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh respectively to facilitate several processes, especially in documentation and communication.