Several areas in Sabah, Sarawak and Pahang to be under EMCO from May 24 to June 6

PETALING JAYA: Several areas in Sabah, Sarawak and Pahang will be under the enhanced movement control order starting Monday (May 24) to June 6 following a spike in infections there.

One of the localities, Rumah Panjang Nyalu in Mukah, Sarawak has seen a significant rise in cases over a week with a positivity rate of 71.8%, said Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a statement on Saturday (May 22).

The Senior Minister said the enhanced MCO would allow health authorities to detect more cases earlier and avoid the infection from spreading to other areas.

In Sabah, the localities are Kampung Melikai in Kuala Penyu and Silimpopon estate and mill in Kalabakan.

“There was an increased number of cases in a short span of time in the areas with Kampung Melikai recording 19.23% positivity rates.

“Health authorities have also confirmed a significant increase in positive cases in Silimpopon, ” he said.

Meanwhile, the enhanced MCO will be enforced at several residential areas in Gau in Pahang, particularly Taman Gau Indah, Taman Gau Makmur, Taman Gau Aman, Taman Gau Indaman and Taman Gau Baru.

Ismail Sabri said health authorities in the area conducted 432 tests until May 21, and 16 came back positive.

The enhanced MCO will also be imposed in seven sub-districts in Kuantan.

The affected areas are Beserah, Kuala Kuantan 1 and 2, Penor, Sungai Karang, Ulu Kuantan and Ulu Lepar.

Separately, Ismail Sabri said the enhanced MCO will be lifted in other areas in Pahang and Sarawak starting May 23 as infections in those areas wane.

The enhanced MCO at Rumah Panjang Jali and Rumah Panjang Lanyau in Mukah, Sarawak will end on schedule on May 23 while the one in Taman Tanah Putih Baru in Kuantan will also end on May 23, two days ahead of schedule.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri said authorities caught 3,824 people violating SOP on Friday (May 21) with 180 of them failing to record their details before entering the premises and 111 more did not wear face masks.

He said 64 people were caught not practising physical distancing while nine more tried to cross districts and state borders without permission, and 131 others were reprimanded for other offences.

Authorities under Ops Benteng also stopped 20 undocumented migrants and seized two land vehicles in the nationwide operation while their surveillance also spotted 175 boats and vessels in the nation’s waters.