MCO violations: 115 charged in several states, 24 sentenced to community service

A total of 115 people were charged in several states today for violating the Movement Control Order (MCO), and apart from administering the customary sentence of imprisonment or a fine, one court today 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 5.30 pm, 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 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 who were accused of playing football with six others, at the Jalan Anggerik football field in Taman Marida, Senawang on March 29 at 6 pm. 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.

-- BERNAMA