KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 — The authorities arrested 1,471 people for defying the movement control order (MCO) yesterday, said Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said of that number, 949 have been compounded RM1,000 for breaching the MCO.

"Meanwhile, 503 individuals have been remanded, with 19 of them released on bail. Also, 51 individuals have been charged in court for violating the MCO,” he said during his daily press briefing this afternoon.

"The increase in the number of people arrested shows that the police are taking sterner action on those who breach MCO,” he added.

As of yesterday, Ismail Sabri said that a total of 8,647 individuals have been arrested for defying the MCO and a total of 3,105 compounds have been issued so far.

Ismail Sabri also said that the government has increased the quarantine centres to 174 yesterday as compared to 163 quarantine centres which were operational the day before, where 13,575 individuals are going through the compulsory quarantine process.

"Yesterday, a total of 390 Malaysians who returned from overseas were subjected to the compulsory quarantine,” he added. 

He also said that Putrajaya is in the midst of discussions with the governments of the countries where Malaysian are stranded, in order to bring them back home. 

"The matter of bringing them back depends on the rules set by the affected countries as some have imposed travel ban and cancelled all their flights in order to curb the Covid-19 pandemic.

"If the foreign government allows us to bring back the Malaysians who are stranded, then the cost to bring them back must be borne by them (the Malaysians) and the special flights will be arranged by the Transport Ministry.

"However, we advise those who are still overseas to remain there if it is possible until the travel ban is lifted in the respective countries,” he added.