This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on April 15, 2020

KUALA LUMPUR: The federal government, upon the health ministry’s (MoH) advice, has executed its enhanced movement control order (EMCO) directive on Masjid India and its surrounding area, according to Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

This EMCO, effective yesterday until April 28, includes Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Jalan Dang Wangi, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Melaka and Jalan Ampang.

Just a week earlier, it placed the nearby Selangor Mansion and Malayan Mansion flats in Jalan Masjid India under the fourth EMCO.

Notably, this latest EMCO directive also involves Jalan Munshi Abdullah, on which the Menara City One Condominium — where the third EMCO was enforced — is located.

“The affected areas’ residents are requested to remain calm and fully cooperate with MoH personnels and comply with all the relevant authorities’ instructions,” Ismail Sabri said in a statement yesterday.

The government has also decided to extend the EMCO on Kampung Datuk Ibrahim Majid and Bandar Baharu Datuk Ibrahim Majid in Simpang Renggam, Kluang, Johor — which was supposed to end yesterday — until April 28, following an increase in Covid-19 positive cases in the areas.

These areas were placed under the first EMCO on March 27 after 61 residents there were found to have contracted Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the third EMCO involving Menara City One and the fourth EMCO on Selangor Mansion and Malayan Mansion have been extended until April 28, after more residents were infected with Covid-19.

On the second EMCO on areas covering Batu 21 to Batu 23, Kampung Sungai Lui, Hulu Langat, Selangor, that ended on Monday, said Ismail Sabri, except for the Islamic school Maahad Tahfiz An-Nabawiyyah and a house in Batu 23, Kampung Paya Lebar, the lockdown has been extended until April 28.

Ismail Sabri also said the police will no longer issue compounds to those violating the third phase of the nationwide MCO, starting today. Instead, offenders will be immediately arrested and charged in court.

Up until yesterday, 9,090 people were arrested under the MCO, and 4,036 compounds issued.

On the spread of fake news, Ismail Sabri said the police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission have opened 217 investigation papers. Of those, 162 are still under investigation, while 23 have been charged in court, with four pleading guilty.

“I would like to remind [the public] that the authorities will still take action against offenders who uploaded fake news even though they have deleted the posts after going viral,” he added.