KUALA LUMPUR, April 8 — A total of 53 individuals including two sets of party-goers in Kajang and Ipoh respectively, were charged in courts today for defying the movement control order (MCO) imposed by the government to contain Covid-19.

All 53 were charged under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020 which provides for a maximum penalty of six months in jail or a fine of up to RM1,000 or both. Additional charges under other laws were also brought against some of the accused.

The first set of party-goers comprised 17 adults and two 17-year-old girls who were charged in the Kajang Magistrates Court for gathering together in a condominium unit at Kondominium Amerin in Taming Jaya, Kajang on April 3 at 12.35 pm.

According to Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Norhana Sahat, the 19 individuals had gathered together to have drinks, and as such, did not have a valid justification for breaching the MCO.

Magistrate Muhammad Noor Firdaus Rosli sentenced the adults aged 23 to 31 years, to 14 days in jail, with effect from the date of their arrest, while the teenagers who pleaded guilty, will be sentenced after the court receives their social reports from the Social Welfare Department on May 14. In the meantime, they were released on bail of RM500 each.

The second set of revellers comprised 15 individuals including a frontliner at a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, all of whom pleaded guilty in the Ipoh Magistrates Court to participating in a social gathering at a house on Jalan Casa Lapangan 2, Taman Casa Lapangan on April 5 at 2.50 am.

Aged 19 to 38 years, they were each fined RM1,000 or face three months in jail upon default. The 15 comprised nine men and six women including four Indonesian women.

Also in the Kajang Magistrates Court, a group of six men aged 34 to 48 years were sentenced to 14 days in jail for defying the MCO by having an alcohol drinking session in a public place located on Jalan Taming Sari 1 on April 2 at 11.30 pm. For the charge of consuming alcohol at a public place, they were sentenced to 14 days in jail under the Minor Offences Act 1955. Magistrate Muhammad Noor Firdaus ordered both sentences to run concurrently from the date of arrest.

Among the other cases today was that of Azizul Mohd Khairi, 46, the owner of business premises selling top-up cards which is not an essential service in line with the provisions of the MCO. He was fined RM700 (or faces one month in jail, in default) by the Kuala Lumpur Magistrates Court for continuing to operate his shop in Cheras during the imposition of the MCO.

Azizul was fined an additional RM1,000 (or faces one month in jail, in default) for obstructing a civil servant in the course of conducting his duties. The offences were committed on April 1 at 10.30pm. — Bernama