PUTRAJAYA, May 29 — There will be 800 roadblocks mounted nationwide once the total lockdown is enforced on June 1 compared to 600 currently, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said. 

He said 70,000 members of the police force and agencies under the Home Ministry will be on duty to ensure standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance during the nationwide lockdown, of which 55,000 are policemen, compared to 37,000 currently. 

As for ministry agencies, such as the Immigration Department, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela), there will be 15,000 personnel on duty, he added. 

"If the number is found not to be sufficient, we will add more personnel,” he told reporters after chairing a ministry-level meeting on the total lockdown here today. 

Also present were Inspector-General of Police, Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani, Immigration director-general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud and MMEA director-general Admiral (Maritime) Datuk Mohd Zubil Mat Som.

Yesterday the special session of the National Security Council (MKN) on Covid-19 management decided to implement the first phase of total lockdown on the social and economic sectors nationwide for 14 days beginning this Tuesday due to a drastic rise in Covid-19 cases. 

The Prime Minister’s Office, in a statement, said throughout this period, all sectors will not be allowed to operate, except for essential economic and service sectors to be listed by MKN.

Hamzah said the SOP Compliance Monitoring Team would also conduct inspections in collaboration with relevant ministries and government agencies such as the Ministry of International Trade and Industry and local authorities to ensure compliance within the social and economic sectors.

"The inspections will also involve rural areas and locations where people tend to gather," he said, adding that the membership of the monitoring team will be increased to almost 20,000 people compared to 13,795 currently.

On Op Benteng, Hamzah said the MMEA and Marine police will be mobilised to tighten SOP border control and SOP compliance, especially along migrant landing and encroachment hotspots.  

"The Immigration Department together with the National Registration Department and the police will also enhance enforcement operations in an integrated manner in settlements of foreigners throughout the country,” he said.

Stern action will be taken on those who violate the SOP, he said, while operation centres under the ministry will operate round the clock from June 1. 

The public can contact any of these operation centres if there are enquiries on the lockdown, Hamzah said. — Bernama