The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) is to deploy personnel from its three wings nationwide on Sunday to assist the police enforce the Movement Control Order (MCO) over COVID-19, Chief of Defence Force Gen Tan Sri Affendi Buang said today.

He said discussions have been held with the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, on how the MAF can help the police who have been shouldering a heavy burden since the MCO was imposed on March 18 for two weeks until March 31.

"The three MAF wings (army, navy and air force) will be streamlined under a working committee in accordance with suitability for deployment around the country," he told Bernama.

Affendi said the military is moving in to reduce the burden of the police and to effectively ensure public compliance with the MCO.

He spoke of the necessity for the military and the police to work together whenever the nation faces a crisis.

"It is also a duty of the military in peacetime. We are deployed not only during an emergency but also during natural disasters such as floods," he said.

Earlier today, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who is also the Defence Minister, said the military will be deployed on Sunday to help the police enforce the MCO.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had declared the MCO on March 18 to break the chain of the COVID-19 infection.

As of yesterday, two people have died and 900 have tested positive for COVID-19 in the country. -BERNAMA