Covid-19: Nationwide disinfection exercise to start Monday (March 30)

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): In addition to the movement control order (MCO), the government’s serious and continuous efforts in breaking Covid-19 chain of infection including the nationwide disinfection exercise should be commended.

Although the nationwide disinfection operation will commence Monday (March 30) as announced by Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, local authorities in some states have already started disinfecting the high risk areas.

Ismail Sabri had earlier said the Housing and Local Government Ministry had been tasked with implementing the process through local authorities, SWCorp, the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) and the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF).

The mass disinfection exercise by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) around the capital began yesterday, around the Sri Petaling area, which has been categorised as the Covid-19 red zone in the Federal Territory.

In PERAK, almost all 15 local authorities have began carrying out the operation in their respective areas since early this week by focusing on areas such as public markets, parks or recreational fields, places of worship and police stations.

The Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) unit and JBPM on Sunday also carried out disinfection operations at the Ipoh Train Station and the Tapah district police headquarters.

In SELANGOR, several local authorities including the Shah Alam City Council have begun disinfecting areas such as the Section 18 wet market and the Kampung Baru Subang market, Section U5.

The disinfection process has also been carried out by the Klang Municipal Council since March 23 involving 35 locations including the Pandamaran Bus Station, the Kota Raja Stadium, the Kampung Raja Uda KTM Station and the Klang Sentral Bus Terminal.

In MELAKA, several local authorities such as the Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB) and the Alor Gajah Municipal Council have been carrying out the exercise since Saturday.

Among the focus areas are the Melaka Sentral, the Tun Fatimah Stadium, Taman Bandaraya Bukit Serindit, the MBMB stall in Bachang, Dataran Keris Alor Gajah, the Gadek wet market, the Menggong food court and the Alor Gajah wet market.

In JOHOR, the Covid-19 disinfection operations which will begin Monday will focus on the Simpang Renggam town near Kluang and Kampung Sinaran Baru, Kempas.

State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Ayub Jamil said Simpang Renggam was chosen because of its close proximity to Kampung Dato 'Ibrahim Majid and Bandar Dato' Ibrahim Majid, which have been put under the Enhanced movement control order while positive cases were reported in Kampung Sinaran Baru.

The Mersing District Council has also carried out the operation on public premises such as markets, jetties, public toilets, food stalls and bus stations.

Meanwhile, among the states that will implement the disinfection exercise Monday are Penang, Terengganu and Kedah.

Penang JBPM director Saadon Moktar said a large scale disinfection operation would be conducted tomorrow in collaboration with the Seberang Perai City Council.

He said the operation would begin at the Chai Leng wet market and the Padang Apollo market, Butterworth.

In TERENGGANU, state JBPM director, Md Hilman Abd Rashid said the department would begin the integrated disinfection operation at a madrasah in Kampung Kubang Bikut, Monday morning followed by the Marang Prison the next day.

In KEDAH, state JBPM spokesman said the department would conduct a disinfection exercise in the Kuala Muda area Monday. - Bernama