KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): A total of 4,839 vehicles were ordered to turn back at roadblocks on Friday (July 16), the highest number since the National Recovery Plan (NRP) was implemented, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

       He said those ordered to turn back were believed to be heading to their hometowns to celebrate Hari Raya Aidiladha.

       "Police will take stern action against any individual who tries to cross states to return to their hometowns and disobey their instructions,” he said in a statement on the development of the NRP on Sunday (July 18).

       On Saturday (July 17), police inspected 381,952 vehicles at roadblocks nationwide in a bid to prevent inter-district and interstate movements.

       Ismail Sabri said the government’s decision not to allow the public to cross states, especially ahead of the Aidiladha celebration on Tuesday (July 20), was to curb the possibility of positive cases emerging from community clusters linked to the celebration. - Bernama