PETALING JAYA: A two-week enhanced movement control order will be imposed on several localities in Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Johor, Kelantan and Sabah from Friday (July 9), says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

       The Defence Minister said the enhanced MCO, which would be imposed from July 9 to 22 for these localities, was due to the high number of Covid-19 cases there.

       “The implementation of this enhanced MCO is to control the movements of residents in all localities involved as well as to curb the spread of Covid-19 to other areas.

       “It also aims to help in detecting cases so that they could be isolated as fast as possible as well as to carry out effective contact tracing,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (July 7).

       The enhanced MCO would involve the entire Seremban district in Negri Sembilan and the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park staff quarters in Kuantan, Pahang; while in Kulai, Johor, this would involve the Indahpura industrial zone and seven localities within the Senai industrial zone.

       Two housing areas in Kelantan – Taman Kurnia Jaya and Taman Pinggiran Golf in Kota Baru – would also be put under the enhanced MCO as well as several locations in Sabah including Kampung Sungai Imam in Tawau, as well as Kampung Lembising and Kampung Dumpil Keramat in Putatan.

       One Borneo Condominium in Kota Kinabalu, Kampung Balibata in Beaufort, Kampung Pintasan in Kota Belud and Kampung Istimewa in Batu Sapi would also be put under the enhanced MCO starting Friday (July 9).

       Ismail Sabri also announced that the enhanced MCO has ended earlier than scheduled for Kampung Tahak in Beaufort, Sabah, and Kampung Pulau Tukang Dollah, in Kota Baru, Kelantan, after the Health Ministry confirmed that cases in the localities were on a downward trend and clusters were under control.

       The enhanced MCO will also end at 11.59pm on Thursday (July 8) as scheduled for Kampung Tambulion Ulu in Kota Belud, Sabah and Kampung Kukut in Beaufort, Sabah.