THE Sepang District Disaster Management Committee will seek police help to track down 400 residents of Medan 88 in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, Sepang, who did not return home after receiving information that barbed wire will be installed in the area as part of its enhanced movement-control order (EMCO).

Its chairman, Mohamad Zain A. Hamid, said this was discovered following interviews with residents, who said their housemates or family members have not returned since the EMCO was announced.

“The police will detect them through MySejahtera registrations they make or manual registrations at shops or premises in the area.

“The aim of the EMCO is to conduct health screenings and not security screenings or others. So, I appeal to the residents here who have yet to undergo swab tests to quickly do so,” he told a press conference in Sepang today.

Present were Sepang district police chief ACP Wan Kamarul Azran Wan Yusof and Sepang district Health officer Dr Nasir Mohd Habib.

Yesterday, Senior Minister (Security) Ismail Sabri Yaakob had announced an EMCO in Medan 88 starting today until November 25, involving 88 shoplot units, 284 premises and 800 residents.

Zain, who is also Sepang district officer, said the installation of barbed wire and early cordoning off of the area is to prevent residents from running away, as had occured in Plaza Hentian Kajang when an EMCO was announced there.

“We entered here at 8pm on Tuesday to prepare the area for the EMCO. 

“Entering early is a strategy we learned from several EMCOs in Selangor. We faced many problems when we surrounded the areas and made an announcement the next day, including not achieving some of our objectives of implementing the EMCO, such as conducting health screenings,” he said.

He said an average of 1,000 people visit Medan 88 for various purposes as the area has many banks and hotels.

“Residents of areas around Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi up to Sepang often come here for various reasons and, because of that, we need to implement the EMCO because we do not want Covid-19 to spread to other communities.

“If employers want their employees screened, we will also facilitate them,” he added.

He said action can be taken against residents who refuse to undergo Covid-19 screening under Act 342 (Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988).

Zain said, until last Monday, 43 Covid-19 cases were detected in the area and it is believed all positive cases were linked to visits to high-risk areas, such as Sabah.

He said as of yesterday, 399 residents in Medan 88 have undergone the first swab tests and are awaiting results.

Meanwhile, Kamarul Azran said 21 policemen are stationed in the area for each shift, and the district office has set three shifts at seven Medan 88 control posts. – Bernama, November 12, 2020.