KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 — A fast food restaurant manager whose photograph went viral on social media for misusing a frontliner pass belonging to his wife to go through a roadblock was fined RM1,000 by the Magistrate’s Court here today, for breaching the movement control order (MCO).
Magistrate Fardiana Haryanti Ahmad Razali meted out the sentence to Mohd Shukri Salim, 34, after he pleaded guilty to travelling from Jalan Pasar, Bukit Mertajam, Penang to Domino’s Pizza in Medan Putra, Alor Setar, Kedah at 11.30am, on April 16, during the third phase of the MCO.
The court also ordered him to serve a month’s jail term if he failed to pay the fine.
He was charged according to Regulation 3 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Local Infected Areas) Regulations 2020 which carries a maximum fine of RM1,000 or imprisonment of up to six months, or both.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Fatin Mohamad Farid requested the court to impose a deterrent sentence against the accused as he was seen deliberately defying the MCO.
“While majority of Malaysians are still obeying the directive and staying at home, this act of the accused is considered to thwart the government’s efforts to break the Covid-19 chain,” she said.
However, lawyer Shah Rizal Abdul Manan who represented the accused requested for a lower fine, saying that his client had cooperated during the investigation and had appeared in court today, coming all the way from Penang.
It was understood that Mohd Shukri was charged in Kuala Lumpur following a police report made by a police officer here, after he read the viral Facebook posting uploaded by the accused bragging he had passed a roadblock by using his wife’s frontliner pass. — Bernama
