Advertisement

Johor police seeking 866 participants of Sri Petaling tabligh event

Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said police are looking for the remainder 866 tabligh participants in the state. — Picture by Ben Tan
Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said police are looking for the remainder 866 tabligh participants in the state. — Picture by Ben Tan

JOHOR BARU, April 1 — Johor police are looking for 866 people in the state who attended a religious event in Kuala Lumpur last month that became the country’s largest Covid-19 cluster and have yet to come forward for health screenings.

Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay these were from a total of 2.086 people from Johor who attended the tabligh ijtimak event held at the Jamek Sri Petaling mosque in Kuala Lumpur from February 27 to March 1.

As of yesterday, he said a total of 1,220 tabligh participants from Johor have been identified and undergone health screenings in hospitals.

“We (police) are in the midst of looking for the remainder 866 tabligh participants,” said Ayob Khan in a press conference held at the Johor police contingent headquarters here today.

On a related matter, Ayob Khan said 73 Malaysians who attended the Ijtima of Asia 2020 Tabligh gathering in Sulawesi, Indonesia recently, returned to the state from March 22 to 31.

“Over that time, police detected nine entries involving the total number of Malaysians via the Stulang Laut and Puteri Harbour ferry terminals.

“All of the Malaysians who returned from Sulawesi have been quarantined for 14 days,” he said.

Ayob Khan also said both the Stulang Laut and Kukup ferry terminals have initiated services for foreigners intending to return to Indonesia.

He said checks at the two locations revealed better adherence to social distancing rules set by the Health Ministry.

“The Kukup ferry terminal has three trips to Tanjung Balai in Indonesia, while the Stulang Laut ferry terminal conducts six trips daily,” said Ayob Khan.

Over the past few weeks, health authorities nationwide have continued pleading with participants of the tabligh ijtimak event.

It is believed that thousands of the attendees are refugees and undocumented migrants who are concerned they may be detained for immigration offences if they come forward.

Related Articles Minister: Arrests exceed 4,000 since start of MCO as violators face stiff penalties Make Covid-19 an occupational disease under law for social protection — 51 groups Court kept busy as Perak works to punish slew of MCO defiers