KUALA LUMPUR, 3 April 2020:
Beware! There will be no more soft approach or advice to those who are bent on defying the Movement Control Order (MCO) since the second phase began on Wednesday until April 14.
This warning came from Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob yesterday after finding many are still going out without valid reasons.
However there is light at the end of the tunnel as there was no sharp increase in the number of Covid-19 infection cases. Nonetheless it is not a licence for the government to be satisfied so long as the chain of infection is not broken.
Obviously, if the government softens its approach, the efforts carried out thus far – to eradicate the virus which took the lives of 50 Malaysians as at yesterday – would be in vain.
It was reported in the implementation of the MCO so far, 4,189 individuals have been detained with 1,449 of them charged in court, including for offences of violating the order and obstructing the authorities from carrying out their duties.
These actions symbolised the sternness of the government in combating the Covid-19 crisis as the longer the MCO is implemented, it will have greater effect not only on the economy but also the lives of the ordinary people themselves.
Following this, the government has taken a proactive move to create a Special Cabinet Committee to formulate strategic plans to protect the performance of the Malaysian economy and employment market from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The committee is also responsible for looking at the balance between the priority of the country’s economy with the implementation of an effective MCO, apart from planning strategies to support the performance of the economic engines of Malaysia such as its effects on the small and medium industry, as well as reducing its effect on employment among the people.
The special committee is scheduled to meet today, the 17th day of the MCO and will hold its second meeting on Sunday before the discussions of the committee is presented to Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the National Economic Action Council meeting on Monday.
Yesterday, a total of 115 people were charged in several states for violating the MCO and apart from administering the customary sentence of imprisonment or a fine, one court ordered 24 men to perform community service.
This alternative punishment was meted out by the George Town magistrates court in PENANG, to the men aged 25 to 48, who played football in a field in the grounds of the College General, a Catholic seminary here on March 31 at 5.30pm, in contravention of the ongoing MCO imposed by the government to contain Covid-19.
In accordance with the provisions of the Offenders Compulsory Attendance Act 1954, all 24 who pleaded guilty, are required to report to the Prisons Department which will determine the type of community service to be performed for three hours a day over a three-month period.
In KUALA LUMPUR, a total of 22 individuals were brought before the magistrates courts across the city. They included Pakistani national Mahmood Husaain, 40, who was fined RM2,500, with a three-month jail term in default, for raising his voice towards police officers at a roadblock and for not cooperating with them.
Seven other individuals aged 20 to 28, including a female Kyrgyzstan citizen, were fined between RM500 and RM1,000, with a two-month jail term in default, for offences such as loitering in a playground and jogging around the city, between March 27 and April 1. Two Indonesian contract workers were fined for gathering at a spot in Taman Mulia Jaya, Ampang without a valid reason.
In NEGERI SEMBILAN, 14 individuals were charged. These included four under-aged teenagers accused of playing football with six others, at the Jalan Anggerik football field in Taman Marida, Senawang on March 29 at 6pm. Sentencing for the teenagers will be undertaken after the court receives relevant social reports on the four.
In PERAK, 38 individuals were charged and these included 12 foreign nationals aged 17 to 47 years who were each fined RM1,000 by the Ipoh High Court. At the Kampar magistrates court, 12 individuals were fined between RM1,000 and RM5,000, and sentenced to prison for between two and seven months. Two of the offenders had been charged with obstructing a civil servant in the course of conducting his duty, and for refusing to furnish identity cards when questioned by the police.
In MELAKA, 17 men including 12 foreigners were fined between RM300 and RM1,000, with two weeks to two months in jail in default, for moving from one location to another without valid reasons. The foreigners included citizens of Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
In GURUN, six men aged 23 to 42 years were fined RM1,000 by the magistrates court here for violating the MCO between March 28 and 30.
One of the men, aged 23, was also charged with an offence under section 12 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 but he was allowed bail of RM4,000, with case mention set for June 18.
Meanwhile, Selangor residents who need to go out during the MCO are encouraged to bring along any of their current address’ utility bill.
Selangor Integrity and Standards Compliance Department chief ACP Mohd Ismail Muslim said the move is to show they have fulfilled the conditions set in the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020.
He said Rule 4 of the Regulation which took effect yesterday until the end of the MCO period, stipulates that any travel for reasons allowed is restricted to a 10km-radius from the person’s residence.
For those involved in essential services, they must display written permission from their employer if required by the authorities.
“During the MCO period, just keep any of your utility bill in your vehicle and if the police ask you where do you want to go, just tell them that you are heading home or want to buy daily necessities by showing us the bill.”
Mohd Ismail said enforcement personnel would also provide information on the regulations to the public from time to time to ensure smooth implementation of the MCO.
Meanwhile, he said the Selangor police would increase the number of roadblocks and close more roads from time to time, especially at entry and exits points of highways to reduce interstate travel.
On the Covid-19 infection among Selangor police contingent staff, Mohd Ismail said 42 officers and personnel had been placed under self-quarantine, however no positive Covid-19 cases being recorded so far.
– Bernama