KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 — Scores of people thronged the capital city’s Golden Triangle here last night on New Year’s Eve to usher in 2022, ignoring the persistent drizzle and the government’s cancellation of countdown celebrations.
The crowd, estimated between 700 and 1,000 people, had gathered along Jalan Bukit Bintang from high-end mall Pavilion KL, to the Jalan Sultan Ismail-Jalan Bukit Bintang intersection, Dang Wangi police chief Assistant Commissioner Noor Dellhan Yahaya said today.
He said the crowd began to swell from 11.30pm, and peaked at midnight.
Fearing the situation may spiral out of control, police personnel on duty stepped in to issue a general dispersal order.
With crowd control measures in place, Noor Delhan said policemen also asked revellers on the streets to move along.
“Compounds were also issued to members of the public who deliberately disobey police directives.
“A total of 12 compounds were issued to those refusing to disperse the scene on our orders, each consisting of a RM1,000 fine,” he told reporters today.
Noor Delhan said the revellers began dispersing about 12.30am, adding that policemen directed the traffic flow so pedestrians could cross the roads safely.
Separately, Brickfields police chief Assistant Commissioner Amihizam Abdul Shukor said a total of 299 compounds were issued for standard operating procedure violations under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act (Act 342).
Amihizam said the compounds were issued during SOP compliance checks at Jalan Telawi, Bangsar and Bandar Baru Sri Petaling, which saw a total of 637 people and 33 premises screened.
Amihizam also said two Malaysian men were detained for drug offences during police raids at a residence on Jalan Klang Lama and another site on Jalan Seri Sentosa 9A in neary Taman Sri Sentosa.
Various recreational and synthetic drugs such as ganja, Ecstasy pills, meth and heroin were seized during the two raids.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced a cancellation of the 2022 New Year celebrations last December 30, to be replaced with prayers in solidarity with victims of the devastating floods across the country two weeks ago.
