Cops using ‘special system’ to monitor those under home quarantine

IGP Abdul Hamid Bador warns that those leaving home while under quarantine will be charged in court.

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have employed a special system to monitor individuals under 14 days’ home quarantine following their return to the country from overseas.

Without disclosing the details of the system, Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said it allows the force to detect the movements of errant individuals who leave their homes in spite of instructions from the health ministry to strictly undergo home quarantine.

“If they are stubborn and leave their homes while under quarantine, the police can take action by detaining and charging them.

“Their actions (in leaving home) are endangering the lives of others, if they are infected with Covid-19,” he told Bernama at Bukit Aman here.

Hamid said to ensure individuals under quarantine stayed put at home, district police headquarters across the country had been instructed to establish a call centre to facilitate communication with these individuals, including via video calls.

The top cop went on to explain that due to the fact that staff strength at the various district police headquarters was stretched, the police were also relying on Rela (People’s Volunteer Corps) officers to assist with monitoring the homes of individuals under quarantine, and to communicate with such individuals, including through video calls.

“That’s the extent to which we are forced to act, to ensure individuals under quarantine stay put at home.

“These are simple instructions to follow … to stay put at home and quarantine themselves,” he said.

Meanwhile, when asked if there were many people who were hiding information pertaining to Covid-19 clusters from the police and the health ministry, Hamid said such action amounted to an offence under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.

“Therefore, I request members of the public to come forward with information if individuals close to them are infected with Covid-19.

“Don’t let there be a situation in which, as a result of keeping quiet about information on Covid-19 clusters, other people become victims.

“It is our joint responsibility to break the chain of infection of the virus,” he said, stressing that stern action will be taken against those hiding such information. - FMT