Several dignitaries including a ‘Datuk’ were among 22 people who were fined RM1,000 for violating the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) by gathering to eat durian, here, yesterday.

Southwest district police chief Supt A. A Anbalagan said a team of policemen were on patrol in the Sungai Pinang area and saw a group of individuals sitting together eating durian at a site for selling the fruits at 6.30 pm.

"Some tried to flee when police arrived but we ordered them back to their seats. An examination found 21 of them, including two women, in the group and some were eating durian.

"Further checks revealed that some were businessmen comprising very important people (VIP) and one was a Datuk. All of them were locals," he said here last night.

Subsequently, he said all 21 individuals, aged 30 to 64 years, and a 54-year-old durian seller at the stall, were each compounded RM1,000 for flouting the CMCO.

-- BERNAMA