.jpg "Police round up detainees who flouted the movement control order at the Butterworth Court Complex in Penang March 31, 2020. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Sayuti Zainudin")
KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 — After a record spike in arrests over the weekend at roadblocks during the movement control order (MCO) period, the number of detainees today declined 26 per cent, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Yaakob.
However, he said the number of arrests, 403 yesterday compared to 554 on Sunday, was still high.
“Even if there was a reduction (in arrests), the total numbers are still higher than before. I believe like I said yesterday people are taking the opportunity to go out during the weekend.
“From the 403 arrests, 347 have been remanded while 56 others were given bail.
“537 were also charged in court yesterday,” he told a press conference today.
Ismail Sabri also said a total of 6,451 individuals had been arrested over the MCO period from March 18 to April 6 yesterday.
In a related matter, Ismail said the police have informed him that crime over the MCO period has gone down 70 per cent.
“To the people commenting on social media citing fears that crime will rise in this period, police statistics show the crime index has lowered by 70 per cent. So you don’t have to worry,” he said.
