Firm action will be taken for flouting RMCO - Ismail Sabri

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this was following the increasing defiance of the standard operation procedure (SOP) in the communities presuming the Movement Control Order (MCO) was over and no legal action would be taken against them.

Earlier, Ismail said police had detained 80 individuals for flouting the RMCO, and of the total, 20 were remanded and four more were given bail while 56 individuals were compounded.

He said among the offences in defiance of the MCO included activities in pubs or night clubs with 37 offences and activities involving the presence of crowds which made social distancing difficult (43 offences).

‘’Night clubs and entertainment centres are still in the negative list. The government, through the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) and local authorities (PBT) will boost monitoring and enforcement on night clubs and entertainment centres operating during RMCO.

“This include suspending business licenses. The RMCO Compliance Operation Task-Force will rachet up inspections and take action on premises owners and members of the public who do not comply with the stipulated RMCO SOP,’’ he told a media conference today.

In addition, Ismail said there were numerous reports from the police and RMCO Compliance Operation Task-Force against food premises which flouted RMCO including social distancing by the customers.

Subsequently, he urged every food premises owner to pay attention and comply with the SOP set if they did not want to face stringent action.

‘’The government hopes the people will continue to be the eyes and ears of the authorities to report any action which flouts the SOP,’’ he also said.

On other developments, Ismail said police had detained 14 foreign nationals in the Operasi Benteng roadblocks over immigration offences yesterday.

The government would take firm action against any quarter who attempts to enter the nation’s border illegally and would not compromise against those who were involved in smuggling in illegal immigrants, he added.