Penang cops to monitor state recreational spots over four days, to recommend closure if crowded

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 16 — Penang police will be closely monitoring recreational spots in the state to check on crowds over a four-day period, said Penang police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain.

He said that he believes since many would have taken leave tomorrow, for a four-day weekend until this Sunday, there is a high chance they will venture to these recreational spots.

“I have instructed all district police chiefs to monitor all of these places and to record any increase in crowds at these places.

“If the need arises, we will recommend their closure to the state Health Department before new Covid-19 clusters emerge,” he said during a press conference after conducting a standard operating procedure (SOP) spot check at Miami Beach in Batu Ferringhi here.

Mohd Shuhaily said this is why Mengkuang Dam was ordered to close by the state Health Department, after recommendations from the police.

He said daily Covid-19 cases in Penang remain in the four figures and the total number of brought-in-dead (BID) cases also remained high in the state.

“There were nine BID cases yesterday, and according to our records, we had a total of 29 BID cases between September 11 and yesterday,” he said.

Mohd Shuhaily urged the public to remain vigilant and practice strict SOPs whenever they go out.

After checking three spots today, he said if the police had been stricter, many would have been issued fines for flouting SOPs.

“We are taking a lenient approach now because we understand that everyone is affected by our economic situation so we are advising the public first,” he said.

As for the start of walk-in vaccinations for foreigners at four Covid-19 vaccination centres (PPV) tomorrow, Shuhaily said the police will recommend a mechanism for issuing numbers based on the amount of shots available at each facility.

“The respective PPVs have been advised to give out numbers to those who walk in. Once the slots are filled, the rest should leave. If they fail to do so, we will come by to enforce the law,” he said.

Mohd Shuhaily said there were reports of people flooding the PPVs in other states, and he hopes this will not happen in Penang.

“The other day when the PPVs opened for walk-ins to Malaysians, everything was under control so we hope this will be the same too,” he said.

The four designated PPVs offering walk-in vaccinations to foreigners are Spice Convention Centre, Dewan Millennium, SP Arena and Dewan Serbaguna Sungai Bakap.

The walk-in session for foreigners starts at 2pm tomorrow.