Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador described the detention and prosecution of defiers of the Movement Control Order (MCO) as appropriate.

He said a more stringent action has to be taken as the RM1,000 compound imposed on those caught flouting the order seemed not effective enough.

"I agree (with the action) because there are people who regard the compound as petty,” he told Bernama.

Asked if the police have enough lockups to accommodate the MCO defiers, he said, they do.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said that the police would no longer issue compound to those caught defying MCO.

Instead, they would be detained and charged in court, he added.

As of Monday (April 13), a total of 9,090 people had been caught for defying MCO and the total compound issued was 4,036.

-- BERNAMA