Those who violate the Movement Control Order (MCO) should not be treated like criminals, cautioned the Society for the Promotion of Human Rights (Proham).
The non-governmental organisation (NGO) said that the police’s act of arresting MCO defaulters is counterproductive to the aims of breaking the chain of infection of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Proham said this is because when arrested, the MCO defaulters are put in close proximity with other detainees during remand, then brought to court to be charged while handcuffed with other offenders.
“The arresting, detaining in police lockups and charging of these violators in court goes against the very objectives of the MCO. Currently, the police remand lockups are already overcrowded.
“They are then brought to courts, handcuffed together and subsequent to them being charged in court, they are either released on bail or upon pleading guilty, sentenced to a fine or imprisonment. All these actions do not assist in trying to break the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
“At a time when our doctors, nurses and hospital resources are already put to the test, the actions and the procedures of the police are counterproductive to the very aim which they intend to achieve.
“Hence, Proham urges the police to exercise restraint. Those violating the MCO should not be treated as criminals. They are merely defaulters,” the NGO said in a media statement issued today, which was signed by the group's chairperson Kuthubul Zaman and its secretary-general Ivy Josiah
Proham recommends the police to instead issue compound notices to MCO defaulters and that said defaulters should be released immediately pending payment.
“Those that fail to pay the compound can be summoned to court once the MCO is removed. In this way, the police will be assisting to ensure that the Covid-19 viral chain be broken and not to perpetuate the spread.
Meanwhile, the NGO advised all Malaysians to abide by the MCO and stay safe at home and praised the police and the Royal Malaysian Armed Forces (RMAF) for their work and assistance to ensure public compliance with the MCO.
Since the implementation of the MCO on March 18, several individuals have been hauled to court nationwide to be charged in relation to violation of the order.
On March 31, the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court fined 11 joggers RM1,000 each for flouting the order by jogging along Jalan Mont Kiara and Jalan Desa Kiara. - Mkini
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