TWENTY-SIX people, including four women, have been arrested in Sarawak for breaching the movement control order, said state police.

State deputy commissioner of police Dev Kumar said they failed to give reasonable explanations for why they were out of their homes between midnight on Tuesday and 8am today.

Among those arrested were two men in the rural town of Batu Niah who attempted to crash a roadblock in the wee hours of this morning.

Apart from the two Batu Niah men, who are in custody to facilitate investigations, all others have been released on police bail after their statements were recorded.

All face charges under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, which carries a maximum jail sentence of two years and a maximum fine of RM10,000, or both, upon conviction.

“They could not give a valid reason why they were on the road or in public places (at that hour),” Kumar said in a statement.

Most of the arrested were found in the Miri division, including the Batu Niah men, seven in Dalat district, Sarikei (4), Kota Samarahan, Lawas and Bintulu (2 each), Kuching and Padawan (1 each).

Kumar warned that the police would not hesitate to arrest anyone who could not give a valid reason for being outdoors when stopped at roadblocks or during checks by the authorities. – March 26, 2020.