by TMR/ pic by RAZAK GHAZALI

THE Menara City One on Jalan Munshi Abdullah in Kuala Lumpur (KL) has been placed under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) beginning today until April 13.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the decision was made after the Ministry of Health had confirmed 17 Covid-19 infections at the residential tower.

“The EMCO will involve 3,200 residents at 502 condominium units and business premises in the tower,” he said in a statement yesterday.

This is the third EMCO enforced by the government to contain the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

Additionally, Bernama also reported that Selangor police will increase the number of road closures in several areas in stages to reduce crowd movement during the MCO period.

Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) state deputy police chief Datuk Arjunaidi Mohamed said four to five roads in Kota Damansara and Petaling Jaya in Selangor had been closed for the last few days and road closures in other areas will be announced from time to time.

He said although the move could be seen as inconvenient to residents in the affected areas, it had to be done to ensure more effective control of crowd movement.

“There are too many roads, we can’t close them all. So, we need to close certain roads that will allow police to filter and control public movement.

“The MCO allows the public to go out and purchase essential goods, but it should not be abused. For example, if you stay in Kota Damansara, then buy your basic essentials there, instead of giving excuses for having to go to Kepong to purchase them,” he told a press conference yesterday.

Commenting further on the MCO in Selangor, Arjunaidi said since its implementation on March 18 until yesterday, a total of 364 arrests had been made with regard to not complying with the order and, of the total, 114 were foreigners.

“So far, eight of those arrested have been charged in court under Section 186 of the Penal Code and Section 7(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Local Infected Areas) 2020,” he said.

Meanwhile, the national news agency reported the Johor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) yesterday conducted disinfection operations at two red zone areas — namely Kampung Sinaran Baru, Kempas (Johor Baru [JB]) and Kampung Datuk Ibrahim Majid in Simpang Renggam (Kluang).

Its director Datuk Yahaya Madis said various agencies including 27 police personnel, 22 People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) volunteers, 10 Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corp (SWCorp) employees and 35 SWM Enviroment staff participated in the exercise.

According to him, the disinfectants were sprayed on the village lanes using vehicles adding that the vehicles did not enter the premises area.

“The disinfectant spraying was carried out by SWCorp and SWM Environment, while JBPM was tasked with the decontamination process. PDRM and Rela took care of security control,” he said when met after the operation at Kampung Sinaran Baru in JB yesterday.

“I hope the villagers will cooperate and will not go out (during the MCO). Stay away from the prohibited areas. We will make sure the areas where they get their essentials goods are safe and sanitised,” he said.

He added that the areas to be disinfected were selected based on needs and information received from the district officers and district health offices.

Both villages had recorded relatively high number of Covid-19 infection cases.