7 arrested in Penang for playing football, jogging during MCO

Police are taking sterner action against those who do not comply with the movement control order.

GEORGE TOWN: Seven men were arrested at a public field in Pulau Tikus here today for violating the movement control order (MCO).

Northeast district police chief ACP Soffian Santong said in the 6.30pm incident, police personnel who were patrolling the area saw six men playing football and another jogging at the field. They advised them to disperse and return home.

“However, some of them refused and told the police that they were just exercising and not simply gathering.

“Following that, the police detained the seven men for defying the MCO,” he said last night.

He said all seven men in their 20s were detained for further investigation under Section 186 of the Penal Code and Rule 7 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases 2020.

In another development, Soffian denied a viral message claiming that a man infected with Covid-19 had escaped from the Penang Hospital (HPP) while receiving treatment there.

“The police investigation found that the viral message was fake and the man whose name was mentioned in the message had also lodged a police report denying that he was infected with Covid-19 or that he had received treatment at HPP,” he said.

Soffian said police were conducting further investigations including locating the person who spread the fake message. The case was being investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. - FMT