KUALA LUMPUR: A year to the day Malaysia first implemented the Movement Control Order (MCO), Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Yaakob said today the country was more than capable of flattening the COVID-19 curve again.

“It is not impossible, we can (flatten the COVID-19 curve) once again,” he said, while also thanking the nation’s frontliners for their sacrifices and Malaysians in general for complying with standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the effort to contain the pandemic.

Ismail Sabri, who is also Defence Minister, urged the people to continue to adhere to the SOPs, and also expressed confidence that with the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, the number of cases would drop further in the next few months.

“To flatten the curve again, we need to work together. We are still battling and will continue to fight to break the COVID-19 infection chain, and with strong SOP compliance, we will win this battle,” he said in a media conference on MCO developments here today.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) will be enforced at the YTY factory and workers hostel in Lekir, Sitiawan in Perak from tomorrow till April 1, saying that until March 14, 60 COVID-19 positive cases were recorded there.

“The Health Ministry has confirmed that there is a drastic surge in cases in the locality with a high infectivity rate,” he said.

The senior minister also announced an extension of the EMCO enforced at the Henry Gurney school in Telok Mas, Melaka from March 20 to April 2.

Meanwhile, he said 54 individuals were compounded and another four remanded yesterday for not complying with SOPs.

-- BERNAMA