KUALA LUMPUR: Another 67 premises, including factories, business premises and construction sites were ordered to close yesterday for failing to comply with standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the government to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this was after inspections done on 2,285 factories; 16,822 business premises; 1,015 construction sites and 456 worker dormitories.

"As previously announced, the government has stepped up total enforcement in terms of inspections on factories and business premises due to too many violations of government directives and gazetted SOPs," he said in a statement on the National Recovery Plan (PPN) situation today.

Meanwhile, he said another 416 individuals were detained yesterday for violating the SOPs, and out of that number, a total of 372 individuals were compounded while another 44 were remanded.

Among the violations were inter-state/district travel without permission and eating/drinking in premises (97 cases), not observing physical distancing (35); failure to check-in at premises (74); non-compliance with movement control directives (43); carrying excessive passengers (39); not wearing face masks (58); premises that failed to comply with directives (six) and other offences (64).

He also said that two more localities in Sabah will come under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO), involving the People's Housing Project (PPR) in Lintas Sibuga, Sandakan and Kampung Telaga and Kampung Pituru, Pitas from July 15 until July 28.

FELDA Jengka 8, Jerantut, Pahang will also be under the EMCO in the same period, he added.

Ismail Sabri said three areas will have their EMCO ended from tomorrow, namely Kampung Kubang Jela, Manir in Kuala Terengganu, Kampung Balung Cocos, Tawau, Sabah and PPR Pantai Ria and Taman Bukit Angkasa in Kuala Lumpur.

"Two more areas under EMCO, Taman Merbau Utama in Pasir Puteh, Kelantan and Kampung Jaya Baru in Kunak, Sabah, which were supposed to end on July 18 and 19, respectively, will also end tomorrow," he said.

-- BERNAMA