Foreign students compounded RM600 each for SOP breach while watching live band

KUCHING: Three foreign students were compounded RM600 each by a magistrates’ court here yesterday for not adhering to the standard operating procedures (SOP) while watching a ‘live’ band in a bar in May.

Sudanese Ibrahim Kamaleldin Ibrahim Mohamed, 22, Yemeni Saleh Ahmed Saleh, 24, and Bangladeshi SM Ragib, 22, all students of higher learning institutions here, pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to them by an interpreter.

Magistrate Zubaidah Sharkawi also imposed a one-month jail on each of them if they failed to pay the compound.

They were jointly charged with breaching the SOP set by the Health director-general, while at a bar in Padungan here at 9.25pm on May 7. They were watching a live band when they were arrested by police during ‘Ops Covid-19 enforcement’.

Investigation also revealed that they were in a crowded public place that did not have social distancing.

They were charged under Section 22(b) of the Prevention and Control of the Infectious Diseases Act 1988, which is punishable under Section 24 of the same Act. It also provides a fine not more than RM100,000 or jail term of not more than seven years or both on conviction.

Earlier, the three accused through their legal counsel Hani Iryani pleaded to the court not to be given a heavy sentence on the grounds that they regretted their actions, it being their first offence, and promising not to repeat the mistake.

Hani also told the court that the case had made the students worried and not able to concentrate on their studies.

Prior to the hearing yesterday, the case had been postponed twice since May following the outbreak of Covid-19.

The prosecution was led by Inspector Nur Syafiqa Nyaie Ilin.