IF NO SPECIAL TREATMENT, WHY NO ARRESTS YET? WITH 11 NEW JAILS, MORE THAN ENOUGH SPACE FOR ERRANT MINISTERS: ISMAIL SABRI MAKES A MOCKERY OF HIS OWN WORDS – INSISTS VIPS WHO FLOUTED MCO WON’T GET PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT BUT DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT

PUTRAJAYA denies that VIPs flouting the movement control order (MCO) will get preferential treatment.

The comment by Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today comes amid growing public anger over alleged breaches of the movement curbs by senior members of the government.

“Police have called the person up and it is now up to the police to take action,” said Ismail Sabri during his daily MCO briefing in Putrajaya today.

“It’s not right to allege that there are two different treatments for those who break the MCO.”

Questions have been raised on the government’s handling of Deputy Health Minister Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali for allegedly breaking a ban on gatherings after he had a meal with about a dozen other people at a tahfiz school in Perak recently.

Photos of the meal were initially shared on the deputy minister’s Facebook page before it was taken down after social media users highlighted the issue.

Perak police said it will interview Noor Azmi.

Shortly, after that another deputy minister, Abdul Rahman Mohamad, also appeared to have flouted the MCO by celebrating his birthday with a group of supporters on April 13.

Today, Ismail Sabri said lawmakers were allowed to see their constituents or give out aid during the MCO period.

“They are allowed to work but there should be no big events, parties or mass gatherings.

“They should also follow the MCO guidelines,” said the minister.

Last week, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mustapa Mohamed also removed social media posts describing his visits to constituents in Jeli during the MCO.

The MP, who is known as Tok Pa, had posted pictures of him at the homes of several elderly residents in his parliamentary seat in Kelantan. – THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT

Covid-19: 11 temporary prisons for MCO violators set up, 1,111 new arrests recorded

Sunday, 19 Apr 2020 04:14 PM MYT

BY R. LOHESWAR

Army and police personnel conducting roadblock checks during the movement control order (MCO) in Shah Alam April 5, 2020. — Picture by Miera Zulyana

KUALA LUMPUR — The federal government has gazetted 11 new temporary prisons to house those who were caught violating the movement control order (MCO).

Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Yaakob said these prisons will start operations from April 23 with the health ministry providing medical personnel to be stationed at the temporary prisons.

“The Home Ministry has gazetted 11 new prisons to house those who are breaking the rules during the MCO after consultations with the Attorney General’s Chambers.

“These prisons will start operations from 23 April.”

Ismail said that an additional 1,111 arrests were made yesterday bringing the total to 14,740 arrests.

Out of this number, 997 are remanded while 114 have posted bail.

About 51,706 surprise spot checks were conducted yesterday throughout the country and 5,861 premises were checked by authorities.

The police and Armed Forces had conducted 820 roadblocks and inspected 451,487 vehicles nationwide.

Besides that, Ismail also said that 11,947 Malaysians from overseas have been quarantined since April 3.

“To date, 1,290 individuals who were quarantined by us have been allowed to return home,” said Ismail.

“Seventy-two of them have returned to Sarawak and their flights were arranged by the National Disaster Management Agency.” MALAY MAIL

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT / MALAY MAIL