KUCHING: Personnel from the Regiment 511 Territorial Army have been deployed in Sibu to beef up enforcement of the movement control order (MCO) in the division.
Third Infantry Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Datuk Azhar Ahmad said a total of 126 officers and men of the regiment were mobilised to assist the Ninth Infantry Brigade of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) and the police in manning roadblocks at various areas in the red districts.
He said all the personnel would be stationed in Sibu for 14 days or more starting Thursday depending on the duration of the MCO.
“This is the first operation conducted by the Regiment 511 Territorial Army from its Kuching, Sematan and Sri Aman battalions.
“Upon arrival in Sibu, they will be stationed to assist the police in eight roadblocks which have been identified as well as assist the Health Ministry (MoH) in conducting active case detection (ACD) works,” he told a press conference, here today.
He said, the deployment of volunteer members from the Regiment to Sibu would serve to add strength to existing military personnel needed in carrying out other core operations such as Ops Benteng against illegal immigrants.
“Presently, one battalion from the Ninth Infantry Brigade is assigned to perform other core operational duties at the border, causing the team to face a shortage in personnel when the Covid-19 infection in Sibu, Song and Kapit started becoming worse.
“That is why we rope in the Territorial Army personnel to assist in these situations,” he explained.
Azhar said that all the personnel had undergone Covid-19 screening as required by the standard operating procedure (SOP) guideline.
He added that those involved were also previously part of Ops Penawar here during the imposition of the conditional movement control order (CMCO).
“We believe that they will be able to successfully carry out their duties in this Ops Penawar as they have done before,” added Azhar.
