Seberang Prai prison under enhanced MCO until Nov 4

PETALING JAYA: The Seberang Prai prison and its staff quarters have been put under an enhanced movement control order (MCO) from Thursday (Oct 22) until Nov 4.

Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the decision was agreed on by the National Security Council following the spike of Covid-19 positive cases within the cluster in the Seberang Prai Prison and its staff quarters at Sungai Jawi, in the Seberang Prai Selatan district, Penang.

"The implementation of an enhanced MCO is to control the movement from within and outside of the prison as well as to facilitate Covid-19 screening for targeted individuals," he said in his daily press briefing on Wednesday (Oct 21).

According to him, a total of 3,262 individuals are involved, consisting of 2,110 prisoners, 1,000 prison staff and families staying in the quarters, 120 prison staff not staying at the quarters as well as 32 public servants.

"Detainees who are released within the enhanced MCO period will be isolated and quarantined in an area decided by the state national disaster management committee, which is the Institut Latihan Kecemerlangan Mara in the Seberang Prai Selatan until the end of quarantine.

"The standard operating procedures are the same, we do not allow people to enter or those within are not allowed to go out, including the prison staff and warden. Families are also not allowed to visit those in prison," he said.