By S BIRRUNTHA / Pic by RAZAK GHAZALI

Kedah, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Terengganu and Perlis will be placed under the Movement Control Order (MCO) from Jan 22 to Feb 4.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the decision was made following the surge in new Covid-19 cases in these states, which were previously under Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).

This means that the whole country, except for Sarawak, is under the MCO.

Meanwhile, the police arrested 590 individuals for violating MCO regulations on Monday.

Under Ops Benteng, the authorities have detained 18 illegal immigrants and seized 12 land vehicles.

A total of 349 people had returned to Malaysia on Monday and were sent to observe the mandatory quarantine in various designated quarantine centres.

Meanwhile, to date, 172,248 foreign workers had been screened for Covid-19, involving 6,448 employers.