JOHOR BARU, May 26 — Police arrested 30 youths in separate raids at three apartment units here yesterday after they were found to be celebrating Hari Raya Aidilfitri in violation of the movement control order’s (MCO) standard operating procedures (SOP).
Police said the youths, aged between 16 and 29-years-old were caught unawares when the police team raided the premises at 12.15am based on a tip-off.
The suspects were later issued RM1,500 compounds each, totaling RM45,000.
Johor Baru South police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Padzli Mohd Zain said police arrested the suspects at two rented apartment units in Jalan Tanjung Puteri and another at the Persiaran Jaya Putra Apartment in Taman Jaya Putra here.
He said the suspects had gathered in the living room of the apartment units without any physical distancing and failed to wear face masks.
“As a result of the police raids, a total of 30 individuals, consisting of 19 males and 11 females, were arrested,” said Mohd Padzli in a statement issued here last night.
Mohd Padzli said initial investigations revealed that the suspects were believed to have rented the apartment units for a few days to gather and celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
He said those arrested were also compounded under Regulation 16 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease (Measures Within Infected Local Areas Regulations 2021).
This year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations, which typically last a month, have ground to a halt as public health authorities continue to fight Covid-19.
On May 10, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin unexpectedly announced a nationwide MCO from May 12 until June 7, the first time the government has issued such an order spanning four weeks where interstate travel and social gatherings remain banned.
On Monday, Malaysia recorded 6,509 new Covid-19 cases and reported its highest daily death toll from the viral infection to date after 61 fatalities were recorded in the past 24 hours.
