127 People in Malaysia Arrested For Not Wearing Face Masks In Public On 1 August

A total of 315 people were arrested on 1 August for violating the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO), including 127 who did not wear face masks, reported Bernama.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that 28 people were detained for not following the standard operating procedures (SOP) while 150 were detained for making physical distancing difficult.

“Of the total, three of them were remanded while 312 were issued compound fines. The Compliance Operations Task Force conducted 63,473 inspections yesterday to monitor and enforce compliance with the RMCO SOP,” Ismail Sabri said in a statement on 2 August.

Out of the total number of people arrested for not wearing face masks, 26 were detected in Kota Tinggi, Johor and were fined RM1,000 for flouting the mandatory face mask directive, reported The Star.

Kota Tinggi OCPD Supt Hussin Zamora said the 26 people failed to wear their face masks while enjoying their leisure time at the Batu Layar beach in Bayu Damai here between 3pm and 5pm on 1 August.

“During the enforcement operations, we noticed that they had failed to adhere to the Health Ministry’s standard operating procedure (SOP) and safety protocols,” he said.

“All of them were given a warning before a fine was handed out.”

Meanwhile, 20 other people in Penang who did not wear face masks were also fined RM1,000. According to NST, the group of people in their 20s were found loitering at the Bagan Ajam R&R. They also failed to practise physical distancing during checks by the police at 1.50am.

Seberang Prai Utara district police chief Assistant Commissioner Noorzainy Mohd Noor said that these individuals were some of the first ones to be fined after the wearing of masks was made mandatory.

Additionally, 64 roadblocks were set up nationwide on 1 August and 35,459 vehicles were inspected to check the entry of illegal immigrants, reported Bernama.

The police also carried out 2,263 monitoring visits to check on individuals under home quarantine and arrested 28 individuals who failed to comply with the home quarantine SOP.

From 24 July to 1 August, a total of 4,286 people entered Malaysia and were placed in 16 hotels and five Public Training Institutes in Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kelantan, Sarawak, Selangor and Johor, with 13 individuals being sent to hospitals for treatment.

Ismail Sabri said they had returned from 24 countries including the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, Qatar, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, India, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Turkey, South Korea, Iran, Bangladesh, Taiwan, China, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea and Australia.

 

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