KUALA LUMPUR: Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob rubbished a viral message claiming that three villages in Semporna, Sabah, had been placed under Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) for four days.
The message claimed that Kampung Air, Kampung Bangau-Bangau and Kampung Simunul, were placed under EMCO from Sept 21 to 24, following a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases there.
"The implementation of EMCO will normally be announced by me during the weekly press conference, if it didn't come from me then it is fake news.
"Also, normally EMCO is implemented for 14 days, but the viral message said it is a four-day lockdown; so from there we know it is not correct," he said at the weekly MCO press conference today.
Ismail Sabri also said the special cabinet meeting today (Tuesday) agreed that premises that hold sports activities are now allowed to operate till 2am.
"After the announcement that eateries and convenience stores were allowed to operate till 2am, we have received numerous complaints from operators of premises that organise sports activities.
"They include futsal operators who informed us that many of the customers come after Maghrib or Isya' prayers and if the premises can only operate until midnight they feel it is too short, so we now allow them to extend operating hour till 2am along with restaurants and convenience stores," he said.
The senior defence minister also said a total of 136 individuals were arrested yesterday for breaching the MCO standard operating procedures.
He said of the total 100 were issued compounds and the remaining 36 were remanded.
Among the offences were failure to maintain physical distancing (43), not wearing face mask (26), indulging in activities at pubs and night clubs (19), failure to keep visitors' log (11), and operating without permission (4). A total of 22 illegal immigrants were also nabbed.
On Ops Benteng, he said 64 illegal immigrants and one boat skipper were arrested, and five land vehicles were confiscated from 91 roadblocks held nationwide.
"The arrest including 10 illegal immigrants – eight men and two women – who were held at Bandar Penawar, Johor, by the Malaysian Royal Armoured Corps Regiment 1."
On mandatory quarantine, Ismail Sabri said between July 24 and Sept 21, 32,464 individuals returned from 32 countries had entered Malaysia via various entry points.
"Out of the total, 8,214 individuals are undergoing mandatory quarantine at 68 hotels and eight other premises including public training institutes (ILA) and private educational institutions in various states.
"Meanwhile, 71 individuals have been taken to hospital for treatment and 24,179 individuals were discharged and allowed to return home," he said.