ON the 111th day of the recovery movement-control order (RMCO), a total of 661 individuals were arrested yesterday for failing to comply with the standard operating procedure (SOP) to curb the spread of Covid-19, said senior minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

In a statement, Ismail Sabri said out of the total, 577 individuals were arrested for activities in pubs and nightclubs.

“The RMCO offences include activities in pubs or nightclubs (577), failing to adhere to physical distancing (47), not using a mask (30), failing to prepare adequate equipment to record customers’ details (8), premises operating beyond operating hours (3), and failing to comply with home quarantine instruction (1),” the defence minister said today.

From the total 661 arrested, 648 were issued compounds while 13 were remanded.

The government has not given the green light for pubs and nightclubs to operate just yet.

In July, Ismail Sabri said nightclubs and entertainment centres that are operating during the RMCO period risk of losing their licences as they are still on the government’s negative list.

Police, who are leading the task force set up by the government to check on SOP compliance among the public, made 58,813 checks nationwide yesterday, which involved 11,601 officers.

The police, the Malaysian Border Security Agency (Aksem) and the armed forces also mounted 81 roadblocks nationwide and managed to arrest 40 illegal immigrants, five skippers and an illegal smuggler.

He said the government will take stern action against any party who tries to enter the country illegally and enforcement agencies will continue to tighten the border controls. – September 28, 2020.