PUTRAJAYA: The government has yet to decide on whether to extend or lift the ongoing nationwide Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.
"The ongoing CMCO will only end on June 9, and an announcement on whether the government will continue enforcing the CMCO or otherwise will be made before the directive ends," the Defence Minister said during his daily press conference here today.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had previously said there are six criteria, outlined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), that each country must meet before it enters an "exit strategy" phase and its movement restriction order can be lifted.
The six criteria include border controls, as well as community empowerment to protect society from the Covid-19 coronavirus.
Ismail Sabri dismissed claims that the government has already decided to extend the CMCO, as well as introduce new SOPs for selected economic sectors allowed to operate during the extended period.
He described the claims, which were circulated on Thursday, as fake news.
"Please visit the National Security Council should you need clarification, or check economic sectors and the SOPs introduced by the government.
"As I said earlier, we have yet to decide on whether to extend or lift the CMCO.
"Insyallah (God Willing), once the government has made a decision, we will also decide on the SOPs involved, including for economic sectors allowed to operate as well as interstate travel for married couples living apart," he said.
Ismail Sabri added that the government has not received many applications from married couples separated by the CMCO for interstate travel.
"Maybe they waited to apply, and went back for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration. Unfortunately for them, the government decided to reinstate the interstate travel ban for all, including married couples living apart," he said.