The police say that the movement control order (MCO), which will move into phase three from tomorrow until April 28, is likely to continue into June if the public remains defiant to the measures taken by the government to halt the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The inspector-general of police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said if cases of Covid-19 infections continue to increase because people continued to be stubborn and flout the rules, the MCO could likely continue until June, Harian Metro reports.
“In this regard, I again warn the public not to forget that the stringent measures imposed by the MCO will not be loosened. Arrests will be intensified against those who violate the MCO directive,” he said.
The IGP’s words echoed that of senior minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who said today that the government has had enough of those who blatantly disregard the MCO, and will begin remanding and charging violators in court, and not just impose a compound fine of RM1,000.
“Starting tomorrow, whoever is arrested will be remanded and charged in court. Let the court decide, because based on Section 24 of the Prevention And Control Of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342), the court can punish violators with imprisonment of not more than two years, and not more than five years for a second or subsequent offences,” he added.
Speaking at the daily non-health press briefing earlier today, the defence minister said that 1,374 individuals were arrested for MCO-related offences yesterday (April 13), and 931 of those detained were slapped with the RM1,000 fine. He added that cumulative arrests up to April 13 totaled 9,090, and 4,036 compound notices had been issued thus far.
Ismail Sabri said that the decision to impose harsher penalties was made as it appears the rakyat do not care or are not afraid of the law, and that perhaps the sum is not considered high enough to scare those who violate the MCO.
He said that the police has agreed that the level of compliance is not at the level intended. “Maybe people have forgotten, or have chosen to forget, so the police will no longer compromise by just issuing a compound but will send violators to court. If you are remanded, you might spend a day or two in the lock-up,” he said.
“It won’t be like now, where a compound notice is issued and you can go back home and pay the fine within two weeks. The current mentality is akin to getting a traffic summons that you don’t need to pay until whenever, because nothing happens. This time though, it is different. Because a lot of people aren’t afraid of the fine, from tomorrow there will be no more compromises, we will haul offenders to court,” he stated.
So yes, stay off the roads if you’re not really part of the essential services brigade. The last thing you want to be in is a traffic jam for hours, adding to the misery of all, just because you simply want to be out of the house. Let’s not drag this into June, folks. It doesn’t do anything for anyone.
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You forced us to stay home, we can force you to step down. Don’t play play :)
They forced us to stay at home for REASON! Don’t use ‘we’, the stupidity is only on you.
For us rider, you stay at home. We deliver you,
Yaloh! Don’t play play with us rakyat. During PH gomen they never forced us to stay inside, only PN gomen did that. Imagine the death tolls would be now if PH still ruled.
Covid-19 pendamic is here to stay, Survival of fittest. whole World permanent full Lockdown plz,
Abang abang, taiko-taiko, bro-bro, kakak-kakak, etc. please stop ronda-ronda aimlessly.
Better lepak at home than lepak in jail (if polis catch you)
Abang abang, taiko-taiko, bro-bro, kakak-kakak, etc. if can allow go pasar dan bengkel. Pulis should can allow them go taman dan bazaar. juz do safe distancing, if not them go mental sewel
Bandar ppl so stubborn wan. Please listen to authorities for once in your miserable lives laaahhh!! Don’t only think of yourselves, please think about everyone else in the whole country. Stop being selfish and inconsiderate. MCO will go on indefinitely if you still continue to be stubborn.
These Game Over stubborn people should just be arrested and locked up in a prison for a month. With this Game-Changing way, there will be no more people loitering around as they like and help to end the Game Over Covid-19 Pandemic
These stubborn people if lost their jobs, lost bisnes, lost income, lost home, lost cars, lost their mind, lost everything & Bangkrap. Its not Game Over , life’s too short. Grateful still alive bro
Can we have the police breaking up the actual CROWDS of people please. Places they have found where people are gathered together, large groups, no observing safe distances, or crowded clusters etc?
Because that is how infection happens. Not one single lone person in an insulated car, going somewhere to buy things alone. Klang valley has MILLIONS of people. All these cars added up are a fraction of usual cars on road. Everyone is doing their best to comply, trying to make life comfortable. Find the CROWDS and disperse or fine them, not lone drivers.
You breakup a crowd, 5 mins later the crowd comes back. So how? Tear gas everyone? But PH will make noise then…
IGP should not says it this way. They all want MCO to be extended, so does for another 2-3 round of bantuan PRIHATIN like Makcik Kiah get. RM8k++ is not a small amount. If extended can get RM17k by just doing nothing.
Last week it was the B40 came out for their RM1.6k. This week M40 come out for their RM1k. They will go out when they have money. No money stay at home.
I really hope that , police can really strict n summon who stubborn n not follow the rules stay at home . If necessary , aggravated criminal law who breaks the MCO .
Aiyoooo…Stay at home pleaseee…
You allow people to go out for essential business so I guess that’s why there are still many cars on the road. People still can go out to buy food for breakfast, lunch and dinners right? If each household sends 1 car out to buy breakfast, lunch and dinner, then the amount of cars on the road will be considerable
Abang-abang stay at home…..can help bini, their beautiful aweks to make assortment of mouth-watering raya biscuit…..Together, can make extra money selling raya biscuit online.
Macam-macam delivery services to send out order.
Hmm would be interesting how are they going to restart the economy if they extend till June easier said then done and I do not think the country has enough reserve to sustain the population with the extension till June.
Lives are more important than money. I don’t care how long it will take us to recover the economy, but we should never compromise on safety and health of us rakyat.
Good job IGP but politicians children and VIP also if x patuh must masuk lokap then only people learn better.