People can travel beyond 10km radius for necessities, medical services in Malaysia during lockdown: Officials

PUTRAJAYA, Apr 29, 2020, NST. The public can now travel beyond a 10km radius from their place of residence if food, medical services and other necessities are not available within that radius, New Straits Times reported.

However, once people travel beyond this distance, they will only be allowed to go to the nearest place that provides medical services or places that sell the food stuff.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said previously members of the public needed to obtain permission from the police to travel beyond a 10km radius of their homes and they were only allowed to do so for medical purposes and emergencies.

However, the new federal gazette Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within Infected Local Areas) (No.4) Regulations 2020, will permit individuals to get necessities beyond the 10km radius.

“Now that two family members are allowed to shop for necessities or seek medical services during the Movement Control Order (MCO), they are also allowed to travel further than the 10km if the necessities are not available in their residential area.

“For example, if a person is sick and wants to go to a clinic, and that clinic is located 15km away from the house, we allow them to travel beyond that distance. Previously, they would have needed to obtain a permit from the police to do so.

“However, they are not allowed to travel any further, like for example, a 30km-radius. We do not allow that,” he said at his daily press conference here today.

According to the new federal gazette regulations, which takes effect today until May 12, it states that two family members are now allowed travel in one car to shop for necesstities or seek medical services.

Under “conditions for movement”, the gazette states that a person may be accompanied by one family member staying in the same house, to get the necessities.

One is also allowed to be accompanied by any other person “as may be deemed reasonably necessary” to seek healthcare or medical services.

Ismail Sabri said details of the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the MCO will be discussed at a cabinet meeting tomorrow before the outcome is presented to a National Security Council meeting.