Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this is in line with advice from the health ministry in order to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Ismail said the EMCO will allow authorities to control the movement around the area for Covid-19 screenings.

“The total number of individuals affected is 2,830, comprising 2,306 prisoners, 304 prison staff and their families who stay at the prison quarters, and 220 prison staff and their families who do not stay at the quarters.”

Ismail said with the implementation of the EMCO, all movement in and out of the area is strictly prohibited. However, prison staff may be allowed to leave and enter the area subject to the SOPs set by the Prison Department.

He added that any prisoner released during the EMCO period will be isolated from the others before being allowed to return to society.

“If they test negative, the prisoner will be quarantined at a location that will be decided by the state disaster management committee before being released.

“Prisoners who test positive will immediately be sent to hospital for treatment after their release,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ismail said police arrested 446 individuals for various offences under the recovery movement control order yesterday.

Of this number, 407 people were fined and 37 remanded. Two were given police bail.

Among the offences were failure to wear face-masks (212), while 85 business premises were summoned for failing to provide thermometers or recording personal details of customers.

There were 32 individuals detained for attending private parties and 23 for participating in gambling activities.

Another 72 people were arrested for flouting social distancing rules, two for flouting home-quarantine orders and one for being at an entertainment outlet.

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