KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 — Klang MP Charles Santiago has been summoned for questioning over his alleged violation of the movement control order (MCO), the police confirmed today.
Klang Utara police chief Assistant Commissioner Nurulhuda Mohd Salleh, in confirming the probe on the three-term MP, said the police were initially informed of a huge congregation at Dewan Orang Ramai Jalan Sungai Keramat 9, Taman Klang Utama around 10.20am on April 26.
“Personnel dispatched to the scene then discovered about 200 to 300 people gathered alongside Klang MP Charles Santiago and several of his aides who were seen distributing fresh produce to residents there.
“During the course of investigations, the organisers had also produced a permission letter issued by the Welfare Department stipulating the activity was to be carried out on April 27 but instead they said activity was conducted a day earlier.
“In relation to that, an investigation paper has been opened under Section 269 of the Penal Code and Section 22(b) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease Act for violating the MCO when the activities aforementioned above were conducted,” she said in a statement here.
Nurulhuda said no arrests have been made to date and six witnesses were called to help facilitate investigations.
According to her, police investigations also showed that neither People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) nor Civil Defence Force (APM) personnel were at the location to supervise the activities being conducted.
At the time of the incident, there was also no social distancing of a metre and the distribution process was also disorganised.
Earlier, Charles’ lawyer V. Vemal Arasan said his client was called for questioning today after a report claiming that the breach took place as he was distributing food supplies to his constituents at the Dewan Orang Ramai Taman Klang Utama two days ago.
Nurulhuda also confirmed a notice was sent to Charles and his aide to present himself at the Klang Utara police headquarters to have their statements recorded.
“We would like to remind any NGOs who wish to provide assistance to residents to obey the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the National Security Council,” she said.
This comes as Deputy Health Minister I Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali, Perak executive councillor Razman Zakaria and 13 other individuals were fined RM1,000 each by the Gerik Magistrate’s Court in Perak today.
They were punished after all 15 pleaded guilty to defying the MCO by attending a lunch gathering in Lenggong on April 17.
