Clarity On Travel Restrictions Needed

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In black and white: Motorists showing their authorisation letters to police personnel from IPD Ampang Jaya during a roadblock near Taman Cheras Indah. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Inter-district and inter-state travel restrictions announced for the conditional movement control order (MCO) in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya have left many people with questions.
Commuters asked whether they were allowed to travel within the conditional MCO zones, and on the status of interstate passengers travelling in and out of the affected areas.
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The National Security Council (MKN) stated that travelling inter-district and interstate would be allowed for work purposes only.
They would have to show proof with their employers’ authorisation letter and work pass.
Police permit is required for interstate travel only for the purpose of medical emergencies, death and flying out of the three airports in the Klang Valley, namely Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), KLIA2 and the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang.
Prasarana Malaysia Bhd media affairs head Azhar Ghazali said there had yet to be specific instructions to check passengers for employers’ letters when using RapidKL services to travel within the zones.
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“The start of the conditional MCO did not affect the use of our services that much.
“Our service and frequency of rides are running as per normal, ” he said.
On travel within the conditional MCO zones, Azhar said it was permitted for work and there was no need for police consent to do so.
“For example, if you live in Banting but work in Putrajaya, there is no need to get police consent.
“Inter-district travel is allowed, ” he added.
Pan Malaysia Bus Operators Association president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali said although express and stage buses were free to operate, they and their passengers were bound by standard operating procedures.
“For example, passengers on interstate express buses leaving, coming into or passing through the said zones must apply for permission from the police before travelling, ” he said yesterday.
As for stage buses within the affected conditional MCO zones, he said passengers only need to show a letter from their employers.
On Monday, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said all land (including buses, city buses, taxi and e-hailing services), air and sea (except for cruise ships/holiday cruise ships) public transportation services were allowed to operate as usual provided they strictly complied with the SOP set by MKN.
Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya have been placed under conditional MCO for 14 days from Oct 14 to Oct 27 following a recent spike in Covid-19 cases.
A spokesman from Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) said passengers were allowed to travel by train both inter-district and interstate subject to the conditions announced by the authorities.
“If they are travelling from one district to another under the conditional MCO for work, then they will have to get a letter from their employer.
“Those travelling interstate to and from the affected districts must get police consent, ” he said.
He said displays had been put up at KTMB stations to remind passengers of this.
However, he added that KTMB did not have the power to check passengers for the required documents to travel.
“Passengers will have to produce their letters if the police come aboard to check, ” the spokesperson added.
PLUS Malaysia Bhd Corporate, Community and Public Engagement head Syed Mohamed Idid said there was no spike in traffic volume along the highways following the enforcement of the conditional MCO.
“Traffic is calm and there was no exodus from the districts under the order, ” he said.
He added that police had set up roadblocks at nine critical toll plazas on PLUS highways namely Jalan Duta, Setia Alam, Shah Alam, Putra Mahkota, Sungai Buaya, Bukit Tagar, Bukit Beruntung, Lembah Beringin and Seafield. - Star

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