NSC: No 8pm-8am curfew

 

There is no curfew after 8pm under the ongoing movement control order (MCO) 3.0, the government has clarified.

This is according to a National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson when contacted today over several recent incidents where members of the public were allegedly issued compounds for not being at home between 8pm and 8am.

Under the stricter version of MCO 3.0, businesses were told to cap their operation hours to 8pm daily, with exception to several types of services including pharmacy and clinics.

However, standard operating procedures issued by NSC did not say whether members of the public are obliged to be at home after 8pm.

“No curfew. (Only) business hours from 8am to 8pm.

“Besides, the pharmacy is still open until 10pm. Private clinics are also open according to their normal operation hours.

“There are also doctors and nurses who finish their shifts at 11pm,” he told Malaysiakini in a text message this evening.

Recently, several incidents had gone viral on social media where members of the public claimed that they were issued summonses for being outside after 8pm.

This includes a short video clip that started circulating today, where police were heard telling a motorist that he or she could be issued a compound of RM2,000 for being on the road before 8am without permission.

However, this has been dismissed by the police.

According to a report by Malay daily Kosmo!, Shah Alam district police chief Baharudin Mat Taib said no compound has been issued to the driver.

He said the video was recorded at a roadblock in Jalan Persiaran Anggerik Eria in Section 31, Shah Alam and the police personnel involved only explained to the driver about MCO SOPs.

“We want to stress that there is nothing in the SOP that says vehicles cannot be on the road before 8am or after 8pm,” he was quoted as saying. - Mkini