Over 500 individuals nabbed for breaching RMCO rules

PUTRAJAYA: More than 500 individuals were arrested by the police for violating the recovery movement control order (MCO) rules, mostly for nightlife activities and not following physical distancing guidelines.

Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said police detained 515 people and issued compounds to 440 of them during their standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance checks on Sunday.

He said 69 were remanded while six others were released on police bail.

“Among the offences committed were being involved in large crowds with a lack of physical distancing (252) and pub and nightclub activities (205).

“Other offences include failure to provide facilities for customers’ check-in processes (18), not wearing face masks (17), premises operating after hours (10) as well as gambling activities (seven),” Ismail Sabri said in a statement yesterday.

He said the police conducted 58,185 checks at various premises and mounted 53 roadblocks nationwide.

However, no arrest was made. On the mandatory 14-day home quarantine imposed on returnees from abroad, 434 checks were made.

The police acted against one individual who failed to adhere to the SOP, Ismail Sabri added.

Since July 24, a total of 15,980 individuals have returned to the country via international entry points.

They have been quarantined at 67 hotels and five public training institutes nationwide.

Of that total, 7,466 individuals are undergoing mandatory quarantine while 55 have been sent to the hospital for treatment.

So far, 8,459 have been discharged from quarantine and allowed to be released.

On public sanitisation exercises, Ismail Sabri said six operations were held in Sabah (two), Kedah (two), Pahang (one) and Perak (one).