‘People still not wearing face mask when out in public’

PUTRAJAYA: There are still people who go out in public without a face mask and this is the most basic standard operating procedure that has been in place since the movement control order (MCO) was enforced in March, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The Senior Minister said there were measures put in place by the enforcement and health authorities to prevent Covid-19 infections.

“But all these efforts will only bear fruit if people actually follow the SOP.

“Wearing a face mask is the most basic SOP if one is leaving the house, ” he said yesterday in his daily live briefing via Facebook.

The task force checking MCO compliance arrested 481 people on Thursday, of which the majority – 208 people – were out in public without having their face mask on.

Another 145 were detained for not practising physical distancing while another 10 violated the conditional MCO.

Ismail Sabri said it was also important for business premises to follow the SOP, including registering their customers to make it easy to trace them should there be Covid-19 cases recorded in their premises.

“Failure to comply with this will not only leave them with a compound to pay but authorities can also close down their business, ” the minister warned.

Ismail Sabri also announced the enforcement of a conditional MCO in Kampung Padang Che Mas in Baling, Kedah, beginning tomorrow, after 25 of its residents tested positive for Covid-19.

He said 1,150 residents would be involved and the health authorities had to date screened 236 from the village, with 100 individuals still waiting for their test results.

“With the conditional MCO, residents of Kampung Padang Che Mas will not be allowed to leave their homes and the area, ” he added.

Ismail Sabri also said that 7,712 illegal immigrants had been arrested for attempting to sneak into the country since Ops Benteng started in May.

The authorities also arrested 775 tekong (skippers) and 316 human traffickers in the nationwide exercise, and seized 809 boats, 730 land vehicles and 1,801 other items used to commit trans-border crimes.

Ops Benteng is an initiative involving multi-enforcement agencies to prevent illegal entry of foreigners to curb Covid-19 infections.