No cross-border travel from EMCO, CMCO areas for Deepavali

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this was agreed upon in a special session today which heard the presentation of the National Security Council (NSC) on the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the festive period.

The special session also agreed that Hindus in the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) and CMCO areas would be allowed to attend prayers on the first day of Deepavali with strict SOPs being followed, he said.

According to Ismail Sabri, temples are only open from 7 am to 12 noon with prayers attended by not more than 30 people at any one time, depending on the size of the premises.

"The prayer session should be divided into five sessions (30 minutes per session) interspersed with sanitation operations for 30 minutes. Food and sweets must also be distributed in packets to devotees and they need to leave immediately soon after the prayer ceremony," he said.

"However, temples and businesses in areas under EMCO will not be allowed to operate," he said at a press conference on the development of RMCO here today.

On celebrations at home, Ismail Sabri said only a maximum of 20 people comprising immediate family members were allowed for landed residences. For strata homes under 1,500 square feet, the limit is 10 people and a maximum of 15 people for premises with an area of 2,500 sq ft.

"Sales activities in CMCO areas are permitted only on premises approved by the local authorities," he said.

Deepavali celebrations are permitted only among members of the same household residing together. They must ensure appropriate social distancing, personal hygiene and avoid confined areas.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said the police had arrested 506 individuals for disobeying RMCO directives yesterday with 494 people being issued compounds while six others were remanded.

Among the offences committed are failure to record customer details (145); for not wearing face masks (124); failure to practise physical distancing (96); entertainment centre activities (72); premises operating overtime (17) and others (52).

Commenting on 'Operasi Benteng' , he said 41 illegal immigrants, two tekong and two smugglers were arrested yesterday and five land vehicles were confiscated.