Over 600 People Fined RM10K Each For MCO-Related Offences In 2 Days

Over 600 fined RM10K each over 2 days

Fines for Movement Control Order (MCO)-related offences have been raised to a maximum of RM10,000 as of 11th March 2021. Since then, news of individuals being issued the hefty fine have been circulating online, leaving the rest of us in a state of shock at the reality of the whopping sum.

Further showing just how serious authorities have been in cracking down on MCO-related offences, over 600 individuals were fined RM10K each in the span of 2 days. The fines were issued for various offences, including not wearing a mask properly, not checking temperature and attempting interstate travel.

330 fined in a day, while another 109 fined at a single premise

330 individuals were issued RM10K fines on Friday, 12th March, a day after the maximum fine was revised, as reported by Bernama. The fines were said to be issued to repeated MCO offenders, and for failure to observe SOPs, such as physical distancing and temperature checks.

Over 600 fined RM10K over the weekend - SOPs
Image (for illustration purposes only) credit: Pavilion KL

While 330 is already a staggering total in a single day, another 289 individuals were each fined RM10K a day after that, on 13th March, while 48 others were remanded, as reported by New Straits Times. This number came after authorities conducted checks at over 60,000 premises, and includes 42 who were found travelling between states without police permits, and 72 who were engaging in activities at entertainment centres.

At around 10PM on 13th March, another 109 were arrested at an unnamed entertainment centre in Muar, Johor, with each individual fined RM10K. A report from Malay Mail shared that the patrons aged between 17 and 52 were found not adhering to physical distancing SOPs at the premises. The owner of the centre was also arrested and fined RM50,000 for not adhering to SOPs.

Over 600 fined RM10K over the weekend - SOP compliance
Image credit: Polis Daerah Labuan

On the same day, 4 others in Sarawak were fined RM10K each, as reported by New Straits Times in another article. The 4 included 2 owners of a barbershop, who didn’t utilise disposable gloves and aprons at their shop, a restaurant owner who failed to carry out SOPs at his premise and a 27-year-old who didn’t wear a mask.

Netizens report other offences that resulted in RM10K fines

Netizens have also taken to social media to highlight stories of individuals fined RM10K for various MCO-related offences on 12th March. Facebook page, Info Roadblock JPJ/POLIS, shared an incident in Perak of a man who was slapped with a RM10K fine for not wearing his face mask over his nose.

According to Sinar Harian, the man had been leaving a kedai runcit with his face mask under his chin when he was issued the fine by authorities inspecting premises in the area for SOP compliance.

Image credit: Info Roadblock JPJ/POLIS

Twitter user @Twt_PutrajayaWP shared another incident of an unnamed individual who was fined RM10K when he was found travelling to Putrajaya from Kajang without a police permit for a photography session.

RM10K for over 600 individuals in 2 days

Malaysia has been seeing small wins in the fight against COVID-19, with 9 consecutive days of daily COVID-19 cases falling below the 2,000 mark. But the pandemic is not over yet, and the government has been cracking down on individuals not adhering to MCO guidelines in efforts to curb the spread of the virus, as shown by the staggering amount of fines issued in 2 days.