Leiking: Is playing with your children in own compound an MCO offence?

KOTA KINABALU: The government must come out with clear guidelines on the do and don’ts for people doing physical activities within their own compounds under the movement control order (MCO), says Parti Warisan Sabah deputy president Datuk Darell Leiking.

He said there was serious concerns over this following the Mar 31 arrest and conviction of 24 Catholic seminarians playing football within their own compound in George Town.

Leiking said it was shocking to many that the seminarians were charged in court for playing within the grounds of the private college and added that clear guidelines were needed.

He added that the seminary college itself was demarcated as a private, secluded building and said that the seminarians were not allowed any outside contact without the permission of their superiors.

“So how could physical activities within a private college building be deemed to be violating the MCO?

“If it does, then what would have been the decision if the 'physical activity' done by the 24 seminarians within the compound were to be a 'gotong royong' to clean and disinfect the college and so on," he asked.

Leiking said that the Federal Government must now come up with a more specific and detailed guideline over the regulation on the MCO so that people would not become unwitting victims.

“Judging from the decision by the court, we can infer that the government must now specify clearly that 'physical activity' cannot take place even within one's own private compound such as

running around for the kids, playing badminton, gardening, cleaning or even fixing their cars, ” he added.

Leiking personally felt that there was no need to handcuff the seminarians like common criminals as they were within their own compound when they were arrested.

The Penampang MP and former federal minister hoped that the government would give a clear guideline. - Star