KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob expressed concern today over the consistently high arrest numbers for recovery movement control order (RMCO) violations, saying it showed disregard for authorities’ effort to combat Covid-19.
He said the police have arrested 184 people for various infractions as of noon today, with 49 of them now under remand while the rest were issued compounds.
“The large number of people having action taken against them suggests many in our society disregard calls to observe the standard operating procedures outlined under the RMCO,” he told a press conference held at the Parliament building here.
“The police will be firm and not compromise with these people,” he added.
Among the offences Ismail Sabri cited were involvement in activities that “made physical distancing difficult” and failure to wear a face mask.
In the same press conference, the minister revealed that the person responsible for the Sivagangga Covid-19 cluster in Kedah has been sentenced to five months’ jail and fined RM12,000.
The defence minister said the authorities viewed the transgression seriously in a stern warning to the public amid growing concern over the emergence of new clusters as the government has eased restrictions.
“PDRM has taken action against an individual in the Sivagangga cluster for failure to remain under home quarantine,” the defence minister said during a press conference held in the Parliament building here.
“As we all know, this individual was supposed to be under home quarantine but instead went out to open his restaurant, and as a result, a few villages in Kedah and Perlis had to be locked down because of this individual’s failure to observe the regulation or standard operating procedure.”
The emergence of new clusters has prompted calls for stern punishment against those found breaching the Covid-19 mandatory quarantine.
