KUALA LUMPUR APR.23: The business operation of the Aidilfitri Bazaar will be extended until 2.00am effective tomorrow after considering the Muslims start to visit the bazaar after their Isyak and Tarawih prayers.
Senior and Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said, the government agreed to extend the time following the appeal from the Aidilfitri Bazaar traders saying that the time allocated before this was very short.
Ismail said, the Department of Islamic Department Malaysia (JAKIM) at a meeting today had forwarded the proposals on the SOP of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, going to the cemetery and “takbir Aidilfitri” from house to house.
“The SOP has been studied and updated and will be announced next week,” Ismail said at the press conference held here today.
Ismail added, as announced by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Royal Police Malaysia (PDRM) earlier, the inter-state travel will not be permitted even though this decision is not popular but the people have to compromise in order to prevent COVID-19 from spreading.
Citing the inter-state travel effects, Ismail said, since 20th December 2020 until 20th April 2021, MOH had recorded 38 clusters involving 5,471 cases. In April alone seven inter-state travel clusters with 423 cases had been recorded.
He added, as recorded by MOH, the Pasai Cluster had the highest with 2,693 COVID-19 cases that had been transmitted to several localities in Sarawak.
Ismail also mentioned that COVID-19 does not only spread to the green zones but activities like “balik kampung”, attending social functions will also spread the infection to the vulnerable groups such as the senior citizens and children.
The Senior Minister added, since 7th December 2020, taking Kelantan as an example, 10 clusters involving inter-state travel had been recorded. Some of these clusters still exist until today and had infected several generations.
In relation to that, based on the risk analysis that had been implemented by MOH and the National Security Council (NSC), the interstate-travel should be tightened.
On another development, Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) has been imposed on Sekolah Menengah Sains, Banting, Kuala Langat Selangor effective 24th April until 7th May 2021 following 71 students have been detected with positive COVID-19 from 473 screening tests.
“MOH had confirmed that the infection is still spreading in the locality with a high infectivity rate,” Ismail said.
The implementation of EMCO said Ismail is to enable MOH to carry out early detection and to avoid the spreading of the corona virus among the students and staffs of the school.
Meanwhile, EMCO has been extended in Lahad Datu District, Sabah, Kampung Muhibbah Raya, Tawau, Sabah, Long House Jalan Bukut Balingian, Mukah Sarawak and Politeknik Mukah, Mukah Sarawak from 25th April until 8th May 2021.
Ismail said, the COVID-19 infection is still spreading and many screening samples are pending for the results in the localities involved. The EMCO is scheduled to end on 24th April 2021 in these localities.
However EMCO has been lifted in Kampung Bukit Belacon, Segama, Lahad Datu, Sabah on 24th April 2021due to the remaining active cases in the locality has shown a declining trend while the cluster is under control.
“After a risk analysis was carried out with several agencies in the MCO Technical Committee and with the advice of MOH, the government agreed to end the EMCO imposed Bukit Belacon, Segama, Lahad Datu, Sabah on 24th April 2021 as scheduled.
Ismail also reported, two Ramadan Bazaar including in Greewood Gombak, Selangor and in Bukit Nyamuk, Kuala Nerang had been closed by the local authorities due to not complying with the standard operating procedure (SOP) as reported by the netizens through social media, pictures and videos.
“The closure of these Ramadan Bazaars is not only giving negative impact to the traders but also to the customers especially the unmarried groups who will be in difficulty to buy food for their breakfast after returning late from work,” said Ismail.
Ismail thanked the netizens for reporting the issues relating to SOP non-compliances which had helped the local authorities to take action.-Malaysia World News
