Covid-19: Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Putatan under conditional MCO from Oct 7

KUALA LUMPUR: Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Putatan will be placed under the conditional movement control order (MCO) beginning Wednesday (Oct 7).

Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (pic) said in a statement on Monday (Oct 5) that the three districts in Sabah would be under conditional MCO beginning 12.01am on Wednesday following a decision during a special meeting of Ministers on Sunday (Oct 4).

"Movement in and out of the three areas will not be allowed during this conditional MCO and only essential services such as factories and those connected to essential services would be allowed.

"The International Trade and Industry Ministry will name those essential services involved in these areas," he said, adding that the implementation of the conditional MCO there was necessary to curb the spread of Covid-19 and allow for targeted case identification to be carried out.

Ismail said among the standard operating procedures that will be in place from Wednesday are:

- Entry into Sabah would be banned except for those from Sabah and holders of passes issued by the Sabah Immigration Department who are in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Labuan as well as couples involved in essential services.

- Only two people will be allowed to go out per household to buy food and daily essentials.

- All non-essential services will be closed.

- Restaurants, grocery shops, and sundry shops are allowed to open from 6am to 6pm.

- Food purchases will only be allowed via drive-through, delivery and take-away.

- Petrol stations will only be allowed to open from 6am to 6pm.

- Markets will only be allowed to open from 6am to 2pm.

- Night markets, wholesale markets and pasar tani will not be allowed to open.

-Clinics and government and private hospitals will be allowed to open 24 hours.

- Pharmacies and medicine shops will be allowed to operate from 6am to 6pm.

- Activities and services at all airports and ports are allowed to operate while movement of staff and passengers must receive permission from police beforehand.

- Vehicles carrying essential items are allowed entry and exit with police approval.

-Taxis, e-hailing services are allowed to carry a maximum of two passengers and food deliveries are allowed from 6pm to 8pm.

- Express and transit buses are not allowed to operate.

- For emergencies, movement is allowed with prior application from the authorities.

- Those working are not allowed to go outside of their area and not allowed to work throughout at their offices during the conditional MCO.

- Employers must comply with this order and allow staff to go on leave or work from home.

- Only essential services are allowed to work with police approval.

- Mosques, surau, places of worship, private and public institutes of higher learning, schools, kindergartens, nurseries, tahfiz schools, and childcare care facilities must remain closed.

- All sports, recreation, social and cultural activities are not allowed.

- The police are responsible for monitoring and securing infected areas with the help of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Civil Defence Force and Rela.

Ismail urged anyone with enquiries to contact the Sabah disaster control room at 088-369434.

"The government will continue discussions with the Sabah government to monitor the situation and get advice from the Health Ministry from time to time before taking any action," he said.