Villagers fined to raise awareness on SOP compliance – Police chief
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali sympathized with the eight villagers from Tenom who were fined RM1,000 each but stressed that the action was taken to give awareness to the public on the importance of complying with the standard operating procedures (SOP).
He said since the Movement Control Order (MCO) was first implemented, police have been tolerant and lenient with the public as they understand the plight of the community during this period.
However in elaborating on the incident on Jan 27, which has since gone viral in social media, Hazani said the vehicle in which the eight villagers were on board, when they were stopped at a police roadblock, was an illegal taxi also known as ‘kereta sapu’.
“They (the eight villagers) were on board the illegal taxi heading to Tenom town to buy some essential items when they were stopped by police at a roadblock on Jan 27.
“As all public transports are not allowed to have more than 50 percent passengers, the said illegal taxi had more than the allowed capacity.
“As offences have been made by all those inside the vehicle, namely over capacity and no social distancing, police had no choice but to compound each of the offenders for violating the SOP,” he told the media yesterday.
On Jan 27, a group of villagers took to social media to vent their grief at being compounded RM1,000 each when the van they were on board was stopped at a police roadblock as they were heading to Tenom to buy necessities.
They claimed that most of them have to make the journey as they were staying too far from Tenom town and their only means of transport was using public vehicles.
One of the villagers, Irip Pang, said she made the journey to get supplies for her granddaughter who was young and disabled.
“I didn’t come here to go gallivanting, I wanted to buy necessities – milk and diapers – for my grandchild. No one else can take care of my grandchild because her mother has passed away, while my husband is too old and can’t go out.”
Another villager, Buriat Alipan, said he was forced to head to town on that day as he had to buy medicine for his hurting leg, while also to get food supplies.
“Police said it’s MCO, but how can I not go (to Tenom)? I want to buy medicine because my leg is in pain until now, that’s why I had to go. We’re villagers, needy people. We don’t intentionally commit offences, we’re not going out for fun,” he said.
The bus driver, Ruil Taligi, said he did not want to allow the eight villagers on board at first since it would exceed the 50% limit of its original 13-person capacity.
However, he felt sorry for the villagers as some of them really needed to go to the town to buy essentials.
“Police told me I exceeded the load limit. I already told them (the passengers) but they still wanted to come on board, and I felt pity for them.
“I begged police on duty at the roadblock to let us off with a warning or to just fine me alone and not the passengers, because they’re poor people and only wanted to buy essentials.
“But the officer still instructed us to go to the district police headquarters,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hazani admi ed that he sympathized with the villagers as they may not have fully understood the SOP but police have to carry out their job to uphold the law.
“We believe the illegal taxi driver wanted to make extra profit by taking in more passengers which was more than the allowed capacity. Police have to take action to ensure that everybody abides by the law,” he said.
Following the viral video, Hazani urged community leaders in their respective areas to increase the SOP awareness among villagers so similar incidents will not happen in the future.
Hazani said he believed the incident was partly due to lack of understanding from villagers especially in the interior in regards to SOP and MCO.
“Community leaders such as the village heads, village security and development committees, (JKKK) and those involved must play their part in explaining and creating awareness to villagers of the importance to obey the SOP during the MCO.
“This is to ensure that everyone understands the importance in our fight against the spread of the Covid-19 virus,” he said.