Total lockdown: 105 military personnel jointly manning police roadblocks in Labuan

LABUAN: At least 105 military personnel are joining the police in manning eight route checkpoints and three roadblocks beginning at 12.01 am today to strictly enforce the total lockdown in eight localities with the COVID-19 outbreak here.

Op Penawar mediating officer from Labuan Membedai air force base camp Captain Mohd Dhany Mohamad Sarip said the air force personnel were committed to assisting the police personnel in enforcing the lockdown effectively in the localities involved.

"Besides providing assistance in the areas of logistic and assets, our personnel are also involved in conducting patrols in certain areas including in the outskirt of town and villages with COVID-19 outbreak," he told Bernama after completing the installation of full barricades in the downtown early today.

The total lockdown was imposed on the eight localities from today until June 28 to effectively contain the spreads of the deadly coronavirus among the local community.

Labuan has an infective rate of 1.66 with 113 new cases and four new deaths as of this morning.

Meanwhile, Labuan police chief Supt Ahmad Jawila said the barricades had been put in place at the designated spots (in eight localities) to prevent traffic and people from moving in and out of the lockdown localities.

"It is also to enable healthcare personnel to conduct COVID-19 screenings and effectively control the spread of the infection in these areas," he said.

The total lockdown involves the town centre (except Financial Park Complex), Kampung Sungai Keling, Simpang Sahari, Kampung Bukit Kalam, water village of Kg Patau-Patau 1 and 2, Taman Perumahan Mutiara Sg Bedaun, Kampung Layang-Layangan, Kampung Durian Tunjong and Kampung Tanjung Aru.

Bernama's random checks also found the ungazetted boat landing jetty at the Ujung Pasir near the old market, frequently used by people from water villages of UNHCR-sanctioned settlement of Kg Muslim and water village of Patau-Patau, also barricaded with barbed wire.

-- BERNAMA