GEORGE TOWN: Penang on Friday recorded a 98% compliance rate to the movement control order (MCO) after close to 200 arrests were made previously for flouting it.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who made the announcement today, said with almost total compliance to the MCO the next phase is to provide fast assistance to the needy and vulnerable groups who are most affected by the MCO and the pandemic spread of the Covid- 19 virus.

Besides supporting the campaign of using hand sanitisers constantly together with wearing surgical masks when outdoors, the state has also distributed such items to those in need, but it has to be done in stages, Chow said.

Also, up to 20,000 food packages have been prepared for distribution to the needy groups, he said during his daily social media briefing at Komtar here.

Those who are entitled are recipients of welfare aid and state assistance, residents of low-cost housing and individuals or families who have been identified as underprivileged by their respective state assemblymen.

Chow also disclosed that details of the Penang Business Continuity Zero Interest Loan scheme will be made known on Tuesday.

Also, all the 40 assemblymen in Penang have agreed to donate 30% of their April salaries to the fund to fight the Covid-19 virus.

Meanwhile, two district police heads on the island, ACP Soffian Santong and Supt V. Anbalagan, have warned the public to adhere to the MCO or face detention by the security forces on duty.

The Royal Malaysian Army has also deployed aerial drones here to help them in their campaign to uphold the MCO.