98 individuals charged in several states for flouting MCO
KUALA LUMPUR: Ninety-eight individuals were brought to court in several states including senior citizens for infringing the Movement Control Order (MCO) as well as a woman who went viral for shouting at a policeman at a COVID-19 road block.
Most of the offences were for failing to comply with MCO by moving from one infected place to another and some were charged for obstructing civil servants from carrying their duties during MCO.
In Pahang, 11 individuals were charged at the Kuantan Magistrate’s Court including a Japanese senior citizen. Keiji Ando, 81, a retiree was caught taking pictures in a recreational park here during MCO and was fined RM1,000 or three months jail for violating the order.
The accused had moved from one infected area in Lorong Seri Teruntum here to the recreational park in Taman Gelora, Tanjung Api, at 6.20pm on March 27.
Meanwhile, nine individuals including an Indonesian man, Utama Yuliandes, 25, and a Myanmar national, Shamsul Alam Boshir Ahmad, 32, as well as a local woman, 40 were fined between RM800 to RM1,000 or three months jail for defying MCO.
They pleaded guilty to committing the offence between March 26 and 31 at several locations in the town.
In Selangor, sales manager Tong Poh Kim, 44, pleaded not guilty to two offences of yelling at a policeman and obstructing him at a COVID-19 road block operation.
For the first charge, Tong was accused of insulting Corporal Izuan Hasim Nor Hamzah by calling him an idiot at 9.40am on March 31 at Persiaran Surian here under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955 which carries a maximum fine of RM100 upon conviction.
She was also accused of obstructing Cpl Izuan from carrying his duties at the same place and time under Section 186 of the Penal Code.
The court allowed Tong to go on bail at RM4,000 for the two charges in one surety and set May 20 for mention.
In Kuala Lumpur, 10 men were brought to two courts for violating MCO.
At the Selayang Magistrate’s Court, nine men including two senior citizens pleaded guilty for infringing the MCO by deliberately gathering at an infected area without valid reasons.
Six men were each fined RM850 or 15 days jail while three more were fined RM900 or a month’s jail.
All the accused aged between 20 and 61 were nabbed at separate locations in Tasik Taman Bersatu, Rawang and Bandar Tasik Puteri, Gombak between 10.15am and 12.45am on March 31 and April 1.
At the Ampang Magistrate’s Court, shoe factory worker, K Dorai Nathan, 26, was fined RM5,500 or seven months jail after pleading guilty to three charges including violating MCO in Taman Cheras Indah, at 2pm on March 26.
He was also charged with obstructing Cpl Amar Rusdi from carrying out his duty apart from fleeing from the road block at the same place and time.
In Penang, 50 men aged between their 20’s and 50’s were fined RM1,000 or a month’s jail by the Butterworth Magistrate’s Court and Sessions Court for breaching the MCO.
They were charged for coming out of their house for matters not provided under Regulation 3(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020 in Seberang Perai Utara between March 30 and April 2.
Among their offences were loitering, fishing, gathering as well as being detained for failing to provide valid reasons or permit.
In Perak, 15 individuals were brought to the Ipoh Magistrate’s Court for violating MCO. Thirty individuals aged between 18 and 34 pleaded guilty and were fined RM1,000 or three months jail each while two more accused aged 21 and 23 pleaded not guilty.
All of them including a woman were held at several locations among them Taman Beringin, Bandar Seri Botani, Jalan Wing Onn and Taman Hock Lee on March 31.
In Negeri Sembilan, 11 individuals including three underaged teenagers were charged at two Magistrate’s Court here for failing to comply with MCO.
At the Port Dickson Magistrate’s Court, T Paandi Bakaran, 24 and two male juveniles aged 16 and 19 pleaded guilty.
Paandi was sentenced to 10 days in jail and fined RM900 in lieu 20 days jail for breaching the MCO.
He committed the offence at the Port Dickson-Lukut junction at 8.25pm on March 31.
The court set May 19 for mention of the two juveniles before sentencing.
The 19-year-old juvenile was fined RM4,000 or three months jail for the offence under Section 186 of the Penal Code.
They committed the offences at KM 11 Jalan Lukut-Sepang at 9.10pm on April 1.
At the Tampin Magistrate’s Court, seven men and a woman aged 20 and 43 and a 19-year-old youth were charged for violating MCO and for obstructing the duty of a civil servant.
They were fined between RM300 to RM1,000 as well as jailed between 14 days to a month.
One of the accused, M Thanaselan, 47, was however not present during the proceeding and a warrant of arrest had being issued against him by the court.
Bernama
