RMCO: Police to monitor SOP compliance during Aidiladha - Ismail Sabri

Police will be deployed to monitor standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance during the Aidiladha festival, which will be celebrated by Muslims tomorrow, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said they would not only monitor mosques, surau and slaughtering areas but also homes.

"Police will be at every kampung to monitor SOP compliance, including homes, just like they did during Hari Raya Aidilfitri recently and, as announced earlier, each home is allowed to have only 20 guests at any one time," he told a media briefing today.

He also reminded the public not to be complacent while celebrating Aidiladha and to always wear face masks and adopt social distancing.

In another development, Ismail Sabri said that from Aug 1 it would be compulsory for members of the public to wear face masks when they are on public transportation and crowded places, such as markets.

"Enforcement though will depend on police discretion. Initially, they will just advice, although it's up to the police to take action.

"The directive has been gazetted under (the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988) Act 342, police can either issue compounds immediately or use their discretion," he said.

Meanwhile, on the latest development regarding SOP compliance during the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO), he said police yesterday checked 1,711 individuals undergoing the compulsory 14-day home quarantine.

He said police, together with Ministry of Health (MOH) personnel, would always check and monitor such individuals at their homes to ensure they complied with the SOP.

He said the government took a serious view of incidents of individuals not complying with the home-quarantine SOP as they have caused family members and surrounding communities to be infected with COVID-19.

"We ask that the public report to the police if they see individuals with quarantine wristbands at public places.

"On this matter, I wish to thank the residents of Butterworth in Penang for being alert and sensitive in identifying an individual with a quarantine wristband trying to queue up at a bank recently.

"I also wish to express my gratitude to the bank's security guards for taking quick action in preventing the individual from entering the bank," he said.

-- BERNAMA