Malaysia will deploy the army from Sunday to assist police in enforcing a restricted movement order aimed at reining in the spread of a coronavirus outbreak, the government said. Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the army would assist the police in monitoring the situation and ensuring that people stayed in their homes. He said about 60 per cent of people had done so on Wednesday, the first day the order was enforced, when police conducted hundreds of roadblocks and checked thousands of vehicles. The partial lockdown, announced on Monday, requires people to remain at home until the end of March, unless they are purchasing or delivering necessities, seeking health care or performing official duties. Travelling abroad is banned and the more than 400,000 people who cross into Singapore from Malaysia’s southernmost state of Johor for work and school are not free to leave and return as they please. Anyone found breaching the order faces up to six months in jail, a fine, or both. Ismail Sabri said there had been incidents of people disregarding the order by playing games outdoors, going to playgrounds and eating in food outlets. Infections in Malaysia have soared to 900 – the highest in Southeast Asia – with two deaths. The country’s health chief warned of a “tsunami-like” third wave of infections if they did not follow the restrictions and social distancing measures. But Putrajaya’s announcement had sparked panic in Singapore, which relies on Malaysia for workers and food supplies, prompting the government to help companies house workers temporarily. Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also assured his 5.7 million people that two-way flow of goods and cargo between the countries would not be affected. Both sides set up a working group to discuss the movement of Malaysians between their home country and Singapore, chaired by Ismail Sabri and Singapore’s Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security. Malaysian workers hit by lockdown sleep rough at Singapore MRT station On Friday, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said both sides agreed that Malaysians with Singapore work permits would continue to work in Singapore, with “appropriate health screening and suitable accommodation arrangements”. “Malaysia will also facilitate transport of food across our land checkpoints,” the statement said. The state of Johor has about 100 cases while Singapore has 345 cases due to a recent spike in imported cases, though 124 people have recovered. Most Malaysia’s cases have been linked to a gathering of 16,000 Muslim missionaries late last month at the Sri Petaling Mosque outside Kuala Lumpur. A similar communal prayer event was expected to be held in Indonesia’s South Sulawesi province but was cancelled over fears it would spur more infections. About 9,000 Muslims had gathered there. Ismail Sabri said the 83 Malaysians who had gone to the Indonesian event had departed Malaysia before the restriction order was enforced. They would be quarantined for 14 days upon their return. “We are also getting details from the Immigration Department on how many Malaysians are overseas and their expected return so that the necessary action can be taken,” he said. On the issue of Malaysians commuting daily to work in Singapore, Ismail Sabri said: “The prime minister has spoken to the Singapore prime minister on this. Those working in the republic will be allowed to leave provided their accommodations are taken care of to prevent them from commuting daily.” Coronavirus: Malaysia tracking 2,000 Rohingya after mosque outbreak On Thursday, Malaysia’s former leader Mahathir Mohamad said he had gone for a coronavirus test after coming into contact with a lawmaker who had tested positive. The 94-year-old said he was self-quarantining for two weeks , according to his spokesman, who declined to reveal the result of his test. “All precautionary steps need to be taken at this moment, don’t take this matter lightly,” Mahathir posted on Twitter on Thursday. “This pandemic is very dangerous. It is a kind of a plague that’s spreading, that can infect tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people. Additional reporting by SCMP’s Asia Desk Purchase the China AI Report 2020 brought to you by SCMP Research and enjoy a 20% discount (original price US$400). This 60-page all new intelligence report gives you first-hand insights and analysis into the latest industry developments and intelligence about China AI. Get exclusive access to our webinars for continuous learning, and interact with China AI executives in live Q&A. Offer valid until 31 March 2020.