No more compounds, MCO violators will be arrested starting from tomorrow

At today’s press update, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced that the police will no longer issue compounds to people that violate the Movement Control Order (MCO). Instead, violators will be arrested and charged in court.

There are a total of 9,090 people arrested for defying the MCO and 4,036 compounds have been issued as of yesterday. The Royal Malaysia Police was reported yesterday to have arrested 1,374 MCO violators. 931 were issued a RM1,000 compound, 418 being remanded and 25 were released on police bail.

The minister said that the rakyat is acting as if they don’t care or are not afraid of the laws we have today. He suggested maybe RM1,000 is not seen as too high to scare them and people are still continuously violating the MCO.

Ismail Sabri Yaakob also said that violators can be charged under Section 24 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) which carries a jail sentence of not more than 2 years or a fine or both. For subsequent offences, violators can be imprisoned for not more than 5 years or fined or both.

For those that obstruct a civil servant from performing their duties, they can be charged under Section 186 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail sentence of two years or RM10,000 fine or both.

During the weekend, it was reported that a family of six were collectively issued a compound of RM6,000 for violating the MCO. According to Sabak Bernam district police chief, the family members aged between 19 and 48 were detained for going against the order of an enforcement official, entering a supermarket as a group and not practising social distancing.

As announced in the early stage of the MCO, everyone must stay at home and only to go out when necessary. When performing essential tasks such as buying groceries or food, only one representative of a family is allowed to go out. Since 1st April, the government had imposed a one person per car rule but it appears that there are some that do not abide by the ruling.

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