Penang Remand Prison to be placed under EMCO soon

 

The Penang Remand Prison will be placed under administrative Enhance Movement Control Order (EMCO) soon. -- NSTP/ DANIAL SAAD

KUALA LUMPUR: Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah tonight said the Penang Remand Prison will be placed under administrative Enhance Movement Control Order (EMCO) soon.

He said this in a reply to a Tweet by Lembah Pantai member of Parliament Fahmi Fadzil who had questioned why Putrajaya was placed placed under Conditional Movement Control Order, but not Penang.

"Penang has seen an increase in (Covid-19) cases at its Remand Prison with 141 cases recorded today.

"Just like the Tawau and Alor Setar prisons, the administrative EMCO will be enforced soon," said Dr Noor Hisham.

Earlier, Penang state government has proposed for the Penang Remand Prison and Penang Prison Department quarters to be placed under EMCO after 141 positive Covid-19 cases were reported among the inmates.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said this was decided during the state special security committee meeting which met this evening.

"We have been told by the Health Ministry that the Remand Prison cluster had logged 141 active cases today (Monday).

"As such, we have decided (at the meeting) to propose to the federal government to place the Penang Remand Prison and the Penang Prison Department quarters under EMCO, involving 2,306 inmates and 300 staff and their family members. We will await response from the federal government," he said.

Chow said the state Health Department had said that the active cases logged by the Remand Prison cluster were only centred among the inmates. - NST