POLICE KEEPING AN EYE ON NIGHTCLUBS
KL, PJ cops conduct spot checks, find most centres are adhering to SOPs
PLEASURE-SEEKERS may have been given the licence to party, but the authorities are going all out to ensure that they remember the threat of Covid-19 is still present.
At the stroke of midnight yesterday, nightclubs and bars, after an almost two-year hiatus, were finally able to open their doors to patrons, who were starved of live entertainment due to various Covid-19 prevention measures.
Police wasted no time in conducting checks in the city to ensure that the standard operating procedures (SOPs) were followed.
City police Criminal Investigation Department chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Habibi Majinji said checks at such outlets showed a commendable level of compliance.
“At our checks in all districts in Kuala Lumpur, namely Sentul, Dang Wangi, Cheras, Brickfields and Wangsa Maju, we saw good SOP adherence by the outlets.
“The SOPs include ensuring that all patrons must undergo a Covid-19 test before they can go out and enjoy themselves,” he told the New Straits Times.
Habibi said several entertainment outlets in Kepong, Sentul and Jalan Tan Siew Sin, Dang Wangi, however, were penalised for operating until 4am.
Action would be taken if any outlet operator breached the conditions.
“These operations and spot checks will continue daily to ensure that both operators and patrons adhere to the stipulated rules and regulations and prevent Covid-19 transmission,” he said.
In Petaling Jaya, police conducted spots checks on 25 entertainment outlets.
The checks, from 9pm to 2am, saw two outlets hauled up for a variety of offences.
Petaling Jaya police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohamad Fakhrudin Abdul Hamid said in general, most outlets toed the line and adhered to the regulations laid out by the National Security Council.
“We also found a high level of SOP compliance among patrons.
“Visitors to entertainment outlets must ready a QR code in their MySejahtera application to enable the authorities to check whether they are categorised as low-risk or otherwise,” he said.
Fakhrudin said patrons also needed to show their latest Covid-19 test results, which had to be done 24 hours before going out.
Staff members at the entertainment outlet must also ensure that their customers scanned the MySejahtera app.
“Those who did not comply with the regulations may face action. Patrons of entertainment outlets can then eat, drink and dance in the centres without the need for a face mask,” he said.
The operation, comprising 10 officers and 70 district police personnel, saw two entertainment outlets being raided for operating without a valid liquor licence.
Entertainment premises in Petaling Jaya are allowed to operate until 2am, and those in Kuala Lumpur can open until 3am.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had last month announced that nightclubs and bars, the only premises remaining in the “negative” list, could resume operations on May 15.
He had also announced that physical distancing would no longer be required in all social and economic activities, which could resume at 100 per cent capacity.
Most entertainment centres, such as karaoke outlets, nightclubs and pubs had remained closed since the start of the MCO back in 2020.