KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — The capital city here will come under a movement control order (MCO) from Friday, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today, just a day after its perplexing omission from the partial lockdown imposed on all the Selangor districts surrounding it.

The senior defence minister said in a statement this evening that the National Security Council decided this after considering the emergence of 17 Covid-19 clusters in Kuala Lumpur over the past week.

"After examining the presentation and recommendation from the Health Ministry, the government has decided to implement a movement control order for the entirety of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur from May 7 until May 20,” he said.

The delay would mean, however, that MCO in KL and the surrounding Selangor districts will not be synchronised.

Ismail Sabri said the standard operating procedures announced for other areas under the MCO would apply.

Among others, interdistrict and interstate travel was prohibited except for emergencies and work purposes.

Food outlets may operate between 6am and midnight catering only to takeaway and delivery orders.

Grocers, convenience stores, and fuel stations will also have the same operating hours except for fuel stations on highways that may open 24 hours daily.

Wet and farmers markets will also be allowed to run from 6am to 2pm.

Ramadan bazaars may also keep operating unless Kuala Lumpur City Hall decides otherwise.

Today, Malaysia added another 3,744 Covid-19 cases including 313 here.