KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said he does not know how certain people managed to cross the state borders from Johor to Terengganu right before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, causing a surge in the east coast’s Covid-19 cases.

He said he has not received detailed information on the matter from the Terengganu police, but speculated that the SOP flouters may have abused their work travel documents issued by the Ministry of Industry and International Trade (Miti) allowing interstate travel.

"Maybe, as I was informed by the police, some people have used letters from Miti or some have made reports of emergencies happening in their hometowns.

"So maybe some were let through, although the letters were not supposed to be used for the purpose of Hari Raya.

"However, regarding the specific case in Terengganu, I have not gotten detailed information from the Terengganu police,” he said.

Ismail Sabri was responding to a journalist’s question regarding a statement by Terengganu health director Dr Nor Azimi Yunus, who yesterday said that several Malaysians had visited relatives and friends during the festive season and brought back Covid-19 infections.

She said the actions of these people — including two who had returned from Johor before Raya and infected at least 24 other people — have decimated the district of Hulu Terengganu, which was formerly a Covid-19 green zone.