KUALA Langat residents hope there will be enough essential supplies for the more than 9,000 people living in areas that have been placed under an administratively enhanced movement control order (EMCO).

They are allowed to buy essentials for now, but fear controls could get stricter.

“As of today, we can still go out to the nearest shop but we need to get permission from the authorities manning the checkpoints.

“If you are going to the store to buy things then they will let you go, if you’re just wandering around they will ask you to stay home.

“I hope food supplies will be enough because only one convenience store is allowed to open here,” said a resident identified only as Amira from Bukit Changgang.

She told The Malaysian Insight that authorities were still screening residents in the area.

“After the swab we were told to go home straight away,” she added.

Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a press conference today confirmed the administrative EMCO on Taman Langat Utama and Taman Langat Murni in Bukit Changgang, Kuala Langat effective last night.

He said the difference with an administrative EMCO is that residents are allowed to leave home to get necessities after doing health checks.

“The similarities with an EMCO is that the area will be surrounded by barbed wire and swab tests (for Covid-19) will be conducted on all residents,” he said at the daily briefing on Covid-19 security matters today.

In an EMCO area, residents will be confined to their homes.

Razor wire fences were erected around Taman Langat Utama and Taman Langat Murni last night, following the detection of more than 20 Covid-19 cases among foreigners.

A man identified only as Zainal said he hoped the government had considered all aspects before tightening controls on the two areas.

“I hope there are enough supplies and there are plans on how groups can send help to us.

“Because we don’t know how long we will be under the restriction order. It can get extended after two weeks if things don’t get better.

“We have heard and read in the news about other places that faced troubles in the past under EMCO.”

Zainal’s son Ariff said he was surprised to learn that the government decided to tighten movement curbs on the area.

“Before this we only learnt about EMCO in other places, so when we saw barbed wires being set up yesterday we were quite shocked.

“Luckily it was after Hari Raya. At least we had some time to meet friends and close family,” he added.

This morning Kuala Langat district police chief Azizan Tukiman said 2,000 residents from two housing areas in Kuala Langat have been screened while 114 individuals have been quarantined.

He said there are 7,000 more people who have yet to be tested.

It may take the Health Department until Friday to complete the screening, he said.

EMCOs were imposed in Jalan Masjid India, Selangor Mansion, Malayan Mansion and Menara City One in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya Old Town, Hulu Langat and Selayang (Selangor), and Simpang Renggam (Johor).

Administrative EMCOs were also placed on Kuala Lumpur’s Chow Kit and Pudu areas. – June 3, 2020.