LUMUT: Five men were fined for violating the standard operating procedures (SOP) of Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (PPN) for playing badminton at a sports centre in Ayer Tawar, here, yesterday. The hall owner also received a compound.

Manjung district police chief ACP Nor Omar Sappi said all the individuals, aged 25 to 31, were compounded in the raid at about 6 pm following a public tip-off.

He said police found the entrance to the hall locked during the raid, but when they managed to gain entry, all the individuals had stopped playing badminton, however, they admitted to doing so.

"The police issued compounds of RM2,000 each to those who played.

"During the inspection, the owner of the premises was not present, however, the owner was later called and given an RM4,000 compound for allowing indoor sports activities such as badminton in the hall, which is still not allowed during Phase Two of the PPN," he said in a statement here, today.

Nor Omar also advised the public to adhere to the SOPs set by the government to flatten the COVID-19 curve of infections.

-- BERNAMA