KUALA LUMPUR JAN. 14: Any private hospital that refuses or rejects to accommodate COVID-19 cases upon the request of the Ministry of Health (MOH) during the Emergency enforcement period could be fined or jailed.
Senior Minister of Defence, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said, the directive and the procedure could only be enforced once the Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented and has signed the ordinance.
“Under the ordinance, the MOH could send COVID-19 cases to the private hospitals and use their laboratories. During normal times the private hospitals could reject the MOH’s request as they are not authorised to do that.
“MOH could also give directive to quarantine the first and second stage COVID-19 cases in hotels and if it is not adhered the hotel is also liable to be fined and jail,” said Ismail in his daily press conference held here today.
Regarding the difference of authority held by the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) during the Emergency, Ismail said by citing an example that during normal times the military has to wait for the Royal Police of Malaysia (RPM) to place a detainee in the lock up but during Emergency the military has the power to straight away put the detainee in the lock up.
Ismail added, the enforcement of the emergency enables the government to manage the COVID-19 pandemic much easier.
On another development Ismail said, after 15th Jan.2021 the police will take stern actions on those who do not adhere to the standard operating procedure (SOPs) of the Movement Control Order (MCO) that had been imposed on six states effective from 13th until 26th Jan.2021.
He explained that the police only gave advice to the people in these two days as many have been trapped in their hometowns and other states when the emergency was announced and they should return by Friday.
Ismail also mentioned that the public recreational parks are closed in areas under MCO and no sports activities are allowed to take place in such places.
He said, recreational activities like jogging and cycling are only allowed to two persons from a house and should be carried out in the neighbouring areas only.
On the self-service laundry shop, Ismail said, the government has allowed the business to convene in MCO areas provided the employer places a worker to monitor the SOP is adhered to like taking customer’s body temperature before entering, flipping the MySejahtera Qr Code, wearing face mask and using hand sanitizer and ensuring physical distancing is adhered to and no congestion.
Regarding the permission granted to non-governmental organizations (NGO) to give humanitarian and disaster aids to the flood victims in the affected areas, Ismail said, only NGOs registered with the registrar of societies (ROS) are allowed to apply.
“They can download an application form via the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) official website WWW.NADMA.GOV.MY and email it to the National Disaster Management Department or District Disaster Management Department involved.
“The national or the district disaster management involved will issue a permission letter and it could be used by the NGO to pass through any police road block.
“However the NGOs are encouraged to focus their activities in the nearest areas or in the same state to reduce movements and inter-state travels,” Ismail reiterated. –Malaysia World News
