Kuala Langat semi-enhanced MCO largest set up so far, says district officer

KUALA LANGAT: The semi-enhanced movement control order (MCO) in Kuala Langat is the largest that has been set up so far.

Kuala Langat district officer Mohd Jusni Hashim said this was the biggest area to be placed under semi-enhanced MCO in Malaysia.

“The total area under the semi-enhanced MCO is 43.3ha with 4.1km of barbed wire fixed around it," Jusni told a press conference on Wednesday (June 3).

The three housing estates affected are Taman Langat Utama, Taman Langat Murni and Taman Langat Murni phase 2 in the Bukit Changgang area.

He said the cordoned-off area, which has 1,752 residential units comprising flats, terrace houses and shoplots, has a total population of 9,000, of which 70% are Malaysians.

Jusni said the affected area had been divided into three zones – Zone A, B and C for easy management.

“Zone A has 70% foreigners and 30% locals; Zone B has 20% foreigners and 80% locals whilst the residents in Zone C are all locals.

“Our main concern is Zones A and B as there are foreigners there," said Jusni.

He explained there was a difference between the semi-enhanced MCO and enhanced MCO.

Jusni explained that under a semi-enhanced MCO, Malaysians who have not been swab tested are allowed to go out for specified purposes but will have to record their details at the sole exit and entry point when leaving the area and returning home.

“Those who have already been screened have to be on house quarantine for 14 days and can only leave and return for health or emergency purposes.

“However, foreigners are not allowed to exit the place at all," said Jusni.

He added restaurants and grocery stores in the area would be allowed to operate until 10pm daily so that residents could buy their own food and necessities.

Jusni explained residents have to be provided with food under the enhanced MCO but not under a semi-enhanced MCO and they can also order food from outside the area through delivery services.

According to Jusni, daily screening had been carried out since May 30, with a total of 2,250 samples taken from 1,499 locals and 751 foreigners.

“We can complete 2,000 swab tests daily and are expecting to finish complete the job by Friday (June 5)," said Jusni.

He said the foreign workers in the area were all documented and very cooperative with the authorities.

The semi-enhanced MCO was put in place after 20 Bangladeshi workers employed by a cleaning company to service KLIA living in a hostel here tested positive for Covid-19.