PUBLIC compliance with the movement-control order (MCO) standard operating procedure (SOP) throughout the country is at an unsatisfactory level based on the number of compounds issued by the authorities.

Based on statistics and information provided by the police, some are still taking the rules and SOP lightly by attempting to illegally cross districts and states, and organising gatherings to celebrate Aidilfitri.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Azmi Abu Kassim said police issued compounds to three foreign nationals who tried to cross state lines without permission letters at several roadblocks (SJR) around the capital.

In Selangor, police issued 122 compounds over SOP non-compliance as of yesterday.

Selangor police chief Arjunaidi Mohamed sais the police had also opened an investigation into a former senior police officer who allegedly violated the SOP on the first of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, by inviting six police officers to his house to celebrate.

In Terengganu, a total of 43 individuals were compounded for failing to comply with the SOP by going sightseeing and taking pictures at the beach area in Kuala Terengganu yesterday, involving a total compound of RM172,000.

Terengganu police chief Roslee Chik said most of the offences committed involved failing to comply with social distancing in the coastal areas, especially along Seberang Takir Beach near the Drawbridge to Batu Buruk Beach.

He said as a result of inspections on 738 houses on the first and second days of Hari Raya throughout the state, only two individuals were compounded for house visit offences.

In Kelantan, police chief Shafien Mamat said his department had issued compounds to four individuals in Bachok for trying to cross the district without a letter of approval from the police yesterday.

In Perak, from Wednesday to yesterday, a total of 116 compounds were issued for SOP violations while 41 compounds were issued for crossing state borders without permission.

Perak police chief Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said they received a total of 8,807 cross-district and cross-state applications with 8,647 applications approved while another 160 were not approved due to various unreasonable reasons.

In Pahang, a division leader of a political party in Pekan was fined RM4,000 for accepting guests at his house in Felda Chini 2 on the first day of Hari Raya.

Pekan district police chief Supt Mohd Razli Mohd Yusof said the individual, a contractor, pleaded guilty to the offence when called to the Pekan district police headquarters to assist in the investigation yesterday afternoon.

In Negri Sembilan, a total of three compounds were issued to three men aged between 20 and 40 years after they failed to submit cross-state permission letters or related documents when passing through roadblocks since the first Hari Raya.

In Penang, a total of 25 men were compounded for MCO violations, including gathering to celebrate Aidilfitri at a homestay in Kepala Batas in an operation carried out by the police yesterday.

Seberang Perai Utara police chief ACP Noorzainy Mohd Noor said those who gathered at the homestay comprised 11 men and all of them were fined RM5,000 each.

In Johor, a total of 23 compounds were issued by the police over SOP violations in the first two days of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Johor police chief Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said 18 of the compounds were for visiting offences and the other three were for cross-state or cross-district offences.

In Putrajaya, a total of 16 compounds were issued since May 12 until yesterday for SOP violations.

Putrajaya district police chief ACP Mohd Fadzil Ali said among the offences committed were cross-district and cross-state travel without permission, failing to control the maximum number of customers, failing to register personal details and for not scanning body temperature.

MCO was implemented nationwide from May 12 to June 7 due to the sharp rise in daily Covid-19 cases. – Bernama, May 15, 2021.