GEORGE TOWN, March 27 — Penang police have arrested 31 people for not adhering to the movement control order (MCO) since March 18.

Penang Police Chief Comm Datuk Sahabudin Abd Manan said out of the 31, five were charged on March 25 and 26.

The five were charged under Section 186 of the Penal Code for voluntarily obstruction of a public servant of his public functions.

The charges were read with Section 7(1) Prevention of control of infectious diseases (Measures within the infected local areas) Regulations 2020.

"In the first case, two of them were arrested at a roadblock,” he said during a press conference at the police headquarters today.

The duo, K. Kisven and S. Gopi, were arrested after they were stopped at a roadblock in Bukit Mertajam at 4am on March 20.

"The driver, Kisven, does not have a driving licence and when a summons was being issued, he raised his voice and uttered expletives at the police officer,” he said.

In the second case, at about 11.25pm on March 23, T. Chandrasekar was arrested at a carpark of Desa Wawasan in Bukit Mertajam after he refused to go home despite being warned by the authorities.

"He was charged on March 25 and fined RM1,000 and jailed for 10 days,” he said.

In the third case, a car rammed into a roadblock at about 5.28am on March 21 at Bayan Baru.

The duo in the car, S. Thiaagu and Lee Wooi Hean, were arrested and brought to court on March 26.

The driver, Thiaagu, was charged under Section 186 and Section 427 Penal Code for committing mischief and causing damage while Lee was released.

Sahabudin said the authorities had initially given advice and issued warnings to those who refused to comply with the MCO, but action will now be taken against those who remain stubborn.

He said the police initially had 24 roadblocks in the state, but this has been increased to 34.

He said the roadblocks had caused extraordinary congestion over the last few days.

"So, we are opening a special lane for essential services such as healthcare workers with passes and lorries transporting essential items,” he said.

He said all workers in essential services with passes and company cards can use the special lane.

A total of 5,400 police officers are on the ground manning the roadblocks and conducting snap checks.