Police to call organisers involved in gathering at KL Court Complex

Police will call the organisers involved in the gathering at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex yesterday, for breaching the standard operating procedures (SOPs) of the recovery movement control order (RMCO).

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Mazlan Mansor said the organisers would be called soon to assist in investigations under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.

“Earlier last week, police from the Sentul District Police Headquarters (IPD) had a meeting with the rally organisers and were informed of their plan to bring in their delegation.

"Yes, we gave the organisers permission to bring the groups but on the condition that they observe the social distancing rule. However at the gathering yesterday, this was breached and clearly they had violated the SOP (there was no social distancing among them)," he told a press conference after officiating the new Sentul IPD.

Mazlan said the police had issued instructions and advised the people to adhere to the social distancing SOP in the court complex.

He said those who breached the SOP while showing their support for former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak would be identified through closed-circuit television camera recordings at the court complex.

Mazlan said the community should be more vigilant and responsible as the fight against Covid-19 is far from over and new cases are on the rise lately.

On the public's queries as to why the police did not take immediate action on the crowd who were gathered at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex yesterday, he said police did not want to worsen the situation adding that those who breached the SOP would be compounded.

"When something like this (non-compliance) happens, the police and Health Ministry will be blamed. We have repeatedly been told to protect ourselves and the people around us, but these people don’t seem to care.

"In this case, we will continue and complete the investigations before handing the papers over to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further action," he said.

The public yesterday expressed concern over the possible spread of Covid-19 and the emergence of a new cluster following the lack of social distancing among the crowd at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex as they waited for the verdict in Najib’s corruption charges involving SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.

- Bernama