Wrong To Say Penangites Not Allowed To Cross Over To Mainland Cops

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CORONAVIRUS | Penang Northeast Police chief Soffian Santong has refuted an online report which stated that "Penangites living on the island are advised not to go to the mainland side of the state without a valid reason"
The move was reportedly imposed to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic
Soffian told reporters today that his boss had alerted him regarding his remark on Malay Mail, which was "inaccurate". He said the report that people on the mainland was no longer allowed to go to the mainland without a valid reason was "wrong"
"The interpretation was wrong. When we conduct roadblocks, we will not allow those without valid reasons or reasons which cannot be accepted, to travel on main roads, or those who are purposely travelling for fun (sengaja pergi berjalan-jalan) or going around to find for food, for example to Bukit Mertajam," Soffian said
"We are not banning everyone from travelling, only for those who do not have a valid reason. We do not want people to get the wrong impression that we do not allow people to travel to the mainland (Seberang Perai)," he added
The Malay Mail reported Soffian as saying today that police will conduct a roadblock at the entrance to the Penang bridge and stop those without valid reasons from driving to Seberang Perai
Soffian reportedly said this at a brief press conference while checking on one of the roadblocks set up on the island at Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway
He was quoted as saying only those who are able to provide valid reasons such as those working in the essential services sector with proof will be allowed to go
Soffian reportedly added that "there will also be roadblocks on the mainland side to question every motorist coming from the bridge."Meanwhile, the death toll for Covid-19 is now at 10, where the latest one was Patient 259, a 74-year-old man in Penang from the tabligh cluster
He passed away at 4pm today, making him the sixth death from that cluster
On a similar matter, Soffian said a total of 99 army personnel have been deployed to assist the police in the northeast district on the island, while 10 police multi-purpose vehicles will patrol the streets of George Town throughout the day. He added that a total of 351 personnel from the police force are involved in these enforcement actions in the northeast district. - Mkini

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