KUALA LUMPUR: The National Security Council (MKN) has decided to place Sabah under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) from April 29 until May 17 following the increase of red zones in the state.

Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Sabah, previously under the Recovery MCO (RMCO), now has 33 localities under the Enhanced MCO (EMCO) while the number of green zones continued to decline.

Meanwhile, he said 10 districts in Kelantan, namely Bachok, Jeli, Kota Bharu, Machang, Kuala Krai, Pasir Mas, Pasir Puteh, Tanah Merah, Tumpat and Gua Musang would remain under the MCO after showing increasing incident rates.

“Overall, the Health Ministry (MOH) confirms that the COVID-19 cases in most states are showing unstable trends and the R-naught has passed 1.0 since 20 days ago.

“Besides that, based on COVID-19 cases observation in Malaysia, the MOH confirms that the number of clusters related to social activities and education have increased over the past two weeks,” he said in a news conference on the MCO development here, today.

Elaborating, Ismail Sabri said Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Penang and Sarawak would remain under the CMCO.

He added that the RMCO status in Perlis, Kedah (except Kuala Muda), Perak, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan (except Seremban), Pahang, Terengganu, Putrajaya and Labuan also stays.

“The MCO, CMCO and RMCO status in these states will take effect from April 29 until May 17, 2021, except for Sarawak, which begins on April 27 until May 17, 2021,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said interstate travel was still not allowed except for tourism activities between RMCO states under the green travel bubble concept.

“Interdistrict travel is allowed except for Sabah and Sarawak, as decided by the state government,” he said.

In a related development, Ismail Sabri announced that the EMCO in Politeknik Mukah, Sarawak; and Kampung Ranggu Batu 10; Fasa Dua Taman Semarak and Kampung Tanjung Batu Keramat in Tawau, Sabah, would be lifted tomorrow.

However, the EMCO in Kampung Baru Pasir Putih, Mukim Sri Tanjung in Tawau would be extended until May 12.

The minister added that the EMCO would be enforced in PPR Batu 2 Lorong Habib Abdul Rahman and PPR Bt. 8 Jalan Apas in Tawau district; Abedon Complex (Bumiwealth, Kolopis and Tanaki) in Kinabatangan district; and FELDA Umas in Kalabakan district in Sabah, from April 28 until May 11.

SMK Ulu Balingian in Sibu, Sarawak would also be placed under the EMCO during the same period, he said.

On the SOP compliance operation, Ismail Sabri said 282 individuals were detained for flouting the SOP, of which 277 were compounded while five others remanded.

At the same time, 19 illegal immigrants were arrested and five land vehicles were seized via Op Benteng, he said.

-- BERNAMA