Scores of cars are seen in the pictures lined up at roadblocks erected at both the Gombak and Sungai Besi toll plazas.

“Where are you going this weekend?” Noor Hisham asked on Facebook in reference to these pictures.

“Mass movement is still happening even though inter-district and state bans have been issued. Bringing epidemic infections from one area to another will not help in our efforts to contain Covid-19.”

He warned that any further increase in the number of cases could “paralyse” the health system and lead to a shortage of beds in hospitals.

This echoed earlier comments by home minister Hamzah Zainudin, who said there was no point trying to cross state lines to return home in anticipation of the lockdown on June 1.

“Run where? Kampung? Why do they want to run? The lockdown is nationwide, wherever they go, they will also be locked down.”

He said there would be police presence no matter where people went, so there was no use trying to evade the police by moving to a different area.

Gombak police chief Arifai Tarawe said he did not believe the images implied that people were trying to avoid the lockdown.

“I was there from 9.30am to 1.30pm today. The vast majority of drivers had letters from their employers or the police.

“Only 14 vehicles were ordered to turn around in those four hours.

“Most people at the roadblock had some sort of permit to allow them to cross the border.”