Police have questioned Charles Santiago over an alleged breach of the movement control order (MCO) linked to an aid distribution programme organised by his office over the weekend.
The Klang MP said he and his assistant Mugheelan Sellathoray went to the Klang Utara district police headquarters today to record their statements.
"We are being investigated for an alleged breach of the MCO," he told Malaysiakini.
Klang Utara district police chief Nurulhuda Mohd Salleh in a statement said her personnel were alerted regarding a crowd at the Jalan Sungai Keramat 9, Taman Klang Utama community hall, at around 10.30am on Sunday.
Some 300 people were found at the scene along with Charles and a team of volunteers who distributed aid.
"Initial investigation found that organisers provided a permission letter from the Social Welfare Department (JKM) to carry out the activity on April 27 but it was instead held on April 26.
"Police also found that no People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) or Civil Defence Force personnel were present for crowd control and there was no social distancing in place," she added.
In a separate statement, Charles insisted that precautionary measures were taken despite the absence of security personnel, including markers on the floor to indicate one-metre social distancing.
He also explained that the aid distribution was held in advance because their supply of farm produce from Cameron Highlands was sent earlier than expected.
"This was effectively communicated to the JKM, who pointed out that they can't make Rela available at such short notice and they were informed that our volunteers would be there instead.
"When the police arrived, while we were distributing food provisions, they said we needed a police permit, an argument that was refuted even by the JKM," he added.
Since the MCO was first enforced on March 18, the DAP lawmaker said his office had distributed groceries to 10,500 families in the constituency.
He further urged the government and authorities to welcome efforts by individual MPs and civil society to assist people in need during this period instead of imposing more restrictions.
"I hope the police will sit together with JKM to come up with a proper protocol, as opposed to flexing their muscles unnecessarily.
"But more than that, I wish the people in power and authorities will just let us get on with our work in serving the people that voted for us," he added.
Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob previously said that elected representatives are allowed to conduct programmes at their constituencies during the MCO period but must abide by the standard operating procedure (SOP) to curb Covid-19.
The SOP states that programmes must be conducted on a small scale with fewer people. - Mkini
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