Deputy prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said a similar situation occurred during the Hari Raya celebrations on May 12, which then triggered 36 Covid-19 clusters.

“I think everyone would have started their holidays today (in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidiladha).

“During the last Hari Raya, hundreds of thousands travelled interstate with various reasons, including using the interstate travel letter meant for work.

“There probably are also those who use their ‘expertise’ to evade the police by travelling through plantation roads and so on, but you can’t deceive Covid-19,” he told reporters after visiting the drive-through vaccination centre (PPV) at the Jempol district office hall in Bandar Seri Jempol here today.

Ismail once again reminded the public not to take their chances and try to cross districts or states for the upcoming holidays.

They should instead take heed of the spike in Covid-19 cases currently, he added.

Inspector-General of Police Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani, in a statement last night, said police would not accept documents from Miti as a valid movement permit for the four-day period from July 18-21 for interstate travel.

He said this was following the detection of an increased number of vehicles on the highways over the past few days.

Meanwhile, Ismail, who is also defence minister, said the ministry had yet to receive any application from the health ministry for more field hospitals to be set up.

However, he added that the defence ministry was ready to build four more field hospitals to help contain the pandemic after the recruitment of 30 doctors and 100 healthcare workers on contract recently.

He said so far there are six field hospitals in Pokok Sena, Kedah; Tawau, Sabah; Kapit, Sarawak; Kepala Batas, Penang; Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Bahru; and Labuan.