IGP says doubling manpower for border control to secure Malaysia against Covid-19 imports
KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador announced today a 100 per cent increase in police personnel for border control, in a bid to prevent the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) from entering Malaysia with illegal immigrants.
Abdul Hamid said the existing deployment of over 2,500 personnel of various ranks assigned to patrol the nation’s land and water borders would be doubled, following discussions with the Armed Forces chief at the Defence Ministry earlier today.
“We embrace the statement issued by the Health Ministry stating that Malaysia could suffer a third wave of Covid-19 infections, which we expect would be carried by visitors entering the country using illegal routes.
“Certainly, their presence in the country without proper screening process posed a very high risk and embracing the ministry’s statement, we will further tighten our border controls,” he told a press conference here.
He said he had a fruitful discussion with the Armed Forces chief and generals of the three military branches on the deployment of police personnel throughout the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak.
Last month, Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah made the grim prediction as he reminded Malaysians to stay at home as much as possible to avoid Covid-19 from continuing to spread.
On April 2, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob reiterated that all Malaysians and visitors returning from overseas would have to undergo a compulsory 14-day quarantine order beginning April 3.
This meant that all returning Malaysians or foreign visitors who enter the country will be subjected to the quarantine procedure at all entry points before being transported to the quarantine centres.
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