Malaysians should not move about within their vicinity except for special purposes or essential activities such as buying food or seeking healthcare, and will need police permission when they travel from one state to another during these two weeks, the government said in a set of new regulations gazetted today.
These new regulations, known as the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020, are applicable from March 18 (today) until March 31.
In the March 18 regulations made by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, the government ordered that no persons are to “make any journey from one place to another” place within a state or federal territory except for the following reasons:
– to perform any official duty
– to buy, supply or deliver food or daily necessities
– to seek healthcare or medical services
– to make a journey to and from limited categories of premises, including any premises which provides essential services, premises involved in the food supply chain, premises selling food and beverages through drive-through, takeaway and delivery
– or any other special purposes that may be permitted by the director-general
No gatherings at all for anything, except for small-size funerals
Beyond this strict list of when Malaysians can move about within the respective state or federal territories they are in, the new regulations also said no one is allowed to gather or be involved in any gathering, regardless of whether it is for religious, sports, recreational, social or cultural purposes.
But the regulations also said funeral ceremonies can be held if the number of those attending is kept to a minimum.
Police permission if crossing state borders
The new regulations said no one shall travel from one infected local area to another infected local area — or in other words, from one state to another state — without the “prior written permission of a police officer in charge of a police station”.
The police have clarified that interstate travel during the restricted movement order is banned, and special permits granting the right for Malaysians to move between state lines will not be issued simply to anyone who requests one.
In a statement released late on Tuesday night, Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said that special exemptions to the ban will only be made for those faced with the following:
– The death of a close family member
– Critical illness of a close relative
– The requirement of medical treatment, for themselves, or a close family member
– Other situations which will be weighed by the police
Malaysians not faced with the above situations are not eligible to conduct interstate travel, under any circumstance.
The IGP’s statement was made following the inundation of police stations nationwide by Malaysians requesting interstate travel permits for the restricted movement order period, on the mistaken belief that anyone could request them.
The resulting chaos and long queues led police to temporarily suspend the issuance of the special permits until the situation eases.