Batu Gajah correctional centre, three villages in Besut to be under EMCO from Feb 14-27

PUTRAJAYA: The government has decided to place a correctional centre and its staff quarters in Batu Gajah, Perak under enhanced movement control order beginning Feb 14.

Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this was after Covid-19 cases were recorded in the locality.

"Health authorities have carried out 81 tests, of which 29 positive cases were recorded and 45 are still awaiting results.

“After hearing the risk assessment presented by the MCO technical committee, the government has agreed to implement the enhanced MCO in the locality for 14 days until Feb 27, ” he said in a statement on Friday (Feb 12).

The order will enable health authorities to carry out screenings on the detainees, staff, as well as close contacts to ensure there is no infectivity within the community.

Meanwhile, three villages in Besut, Terengganu will also be placed under enhanced MCO from Feb 14 after a spike in Covid-19 cases there.

The affected villages are Kg Darau-Awek, Kg Padang Baloh and Kg Lepan Kejor, all in the Pasir Akar sub-district in Besut.

Ismail Sabri said that health authorities have so far tested 570 people in the localities, of which 21 individuals were confirmed to be positive.

“After a risk assessment was carried out and following advice from the Health Ministry, the government has agreed to enforce the enhanced MCO on the three localities for 14 days until Feb 27, ” he said.

Ismail Sabri said the order would enable authorities to control the movement of residents, to reduce infectivity within the community and to carry out screenings on 2,152 people in the three villages.