State govts urged to follow SOPs set; tighten if necessary - Ismail Sabri

However, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, said that the state governments could tighten the SOPs set by the federal government, if necessary to facilitate them to control the situation.

"(When) the National Security Council (MKN) sets the SOPs, it should be followed by every state, but we are also of the view that the state governments can use their own discretion based on cases that occur in their respective states.

"... I have discussed it with the Ministry of Health (MOH) that the state governments can impose stricter regulations if necessary. What is not allowed is to relax the SOPs set by the federal government," he told a press conference on the Movement Control Order (MCO), Conditional MCO (CMCO) and Recovery MCO (RMCO) here, today.

Yesterday, the Kelantan government announced the cancellation of Ramadan and Aidilfitri bazaars statewide, even though the federal government had earlier approved the opening of such bazaars this year.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said that people who refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine could not be punished because it was not mandatory. It was an option for the public.

However, he called on the people to take the vaccine in the interest of their health and their community.

"Vaccination is not mandatory but to give the people the option... We cannot punish (those who do not want to take the vaccine) but will ask them to take the vaccine for the sake of health," he said.

He further explained that thus far the government has yet to discuss vaccination for people wanting to go abroad, and the matter is subject to the country they want to visit.

He cited an example of the Saudi Arabian government which is likely to make the COVID-19 vaccine compulsory for pilgrims wanting to perform hajj this year, and the matter is still under discussion.

Ismail Sabri also said that a total of 27 illegal immigrants were detained and six vehicles seized under Op Benteng yesterday.

He said that in the operation, 40 boats and vessels were detected in the country's waters through two surveillance while 256 roadblocks were implemented to protect the country's borders.

He added that police also arrested 111 individuals for flouting the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the MCO and that, of the total, 101 were compounded and 10 remanded.