Stern action against those flouting MCO SOP - Putrajaya police

PUTRAJAYA: Putrajaya police will take stern action against individuals who flout the standard operating procedure (SOP) following re-implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) in five states and the federal territories from today until Jan 26.

Putrajaya district police headquarters' (IPD) Public Order Division chief, ASP Marlizan Pa'adek said stern action must be taken against MCO violators this time, taking into account the daily spike in COVID-19 cases.

“In the first two days, we will advise and reprimand the errant individuals as people had been moving freely after the Conditional MCO ended on Dec 6, before taking stern action against them.

“The public should take the spread of COVID-19 seriously so as to curb it,” he told reporters after inspecting the roadblock operation at Lebuh Sentosa heading towards Maju Expressway (MEX), here, today.

Marlizan said roadblocks would be mounted at three other locations in Putrajaya, namely, Persiaran Selatan heading towards Dengkil, Persiaran Utara towards Serdang Hospital, and Persiaran Utara towards Puchong.

He said additional control measures were also taken by closing all 'rat routes' connecting Putrajaya to the border areas including the routes to Cyberjaya, Dengkil, Pinggiran Putra, Bangi and Puchong.

“Compliance checks will also be conducted at restaurants, hawker sites, food truck locations and supermarkets to ensure the public adhere to the stipulated SOP.

“The checks will involve 164 personnel comprising 22 police officers and 82 of other ranks, and 60 members of the Malaysian Armed Forces,” he said.

He hoped the public would have self-awareness to cooperate with the government in breaking the chain of COVID-19 transmission and continue to comply with the SOP.

Last Monday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the implementation of the MCO in Penang, Selangor, Melaka, Johor and Sabah, and the Federal Territories (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan) for 14 days from today until Jan 26.

He said states placed under the MCO were classified as high risk based on the Health Ministry’s assessment as its health services capacity had almost reached the maximum.

-- BERNAMA