Ismail Sabri: We will track down and arrest missing Medan 88 residents

An Armed Forces member stands guard at the enhanced MCO area in Medan 88, Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi. - Bernama

PUTRAJAYA: The 400 residents of Medan 88 in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi who have gone missing will be tracked down and arrested, says Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said those missing are workers whose employers had moved out of the area once it was announced that the place would be placed under enhanced MCO.

“We discussed this at the National Security Council special meeting today and we have agreed to this action.“This was what police did to Selangor Mansion residents who left the place when it was placed under lockdown, ” he said on Thursday (Nov 12).

Ismail Sabri said it would not be difficult for police to track down those missing as they knew the employers involved.

“We were told that some employers had used buses to take their workers out of the place. The police will track the employers and find the workers.

“We have also asked the police to take action against the employers for taking their workers out of the enhanced MCO area, ” he said.

On Wednesday (Nov 11), Ismail Sabri announced that enhanced MCO would be enforced in Medan 88 until Nov 25, involving 88 shoplots, 284 premises and 800 residents.

Earlier Thursday, the Sepang district disaster management committee said that it would seek the assistance of the police to detect 400 residents who did not return home after receiving information that barbed wire would be installed in the area over the implementation of the enhanced MCO.

Its chairman Mohamad Zain A. Hamid said the number of those who did not return home were detected following interviews with residents there who said their housemates or family members did not return as soon as they found out that the area would be placed under enhanced MCO.

‘’The police will detect them through the MySejahtera registrations which they made or manual registrations at shops or premises visited in the area.

‘’The aim of the enhanced MCO is to conduct health screenings and not security screenings or others. So, I appeal to the residents here who have yet to undergo swab tests to quickly do so, ’’ he said.