Fines for MCO-related violations increased
It’s been tough times for many struggling to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic. So we’ve all been trying our best to adhere to guidelines under various stages of the Movement Control Order (MCO) to help curb the spread of the virus and avoid hefty RM1,000 fines – the current penalty for MCO-related offences.
But this will no longer be the case starting 11th March 2021, with Malaysians facing up to RM10,000 fines if found breaching MCO guidelines.
Hefty fines for MCO violations starting 11th March
We’ve seen news of individuals paying hefty fines of RM1,000 for not adhering to MCO guidelines in the past, showing just how strict authorities have been with anyone who is not complying with government orders during this pandemic. Starting from 11th March, individuals breaching SOPs under the MCO can be fined up to RM10,000 – which is 10 times more than the previous amount of RM1,000.
Image credit: PDRM
According to a report by Free Malaysia Today, this new penalty follows a newly published amendment to the Emergency (Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases) Ordinance, called Emergency (Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, by the Federal Government Gazette.
Companies found breaching MCO-related guidelines will also face up to RM50,000 in fines, with company representatives facing court charges too.
This news follows after the government considered raising the stakes for penalties regarding MCO offences earlier this year in January, as reported by New Straits Times. The consideration takes into account how many seem to disregard SOP guidelines, even with a RM1,000 fine and possible imprisonment as punishment.
Image credit: PDRM
Just yesterday, 25th February, 388 individuals faced RM1,000 fines while 70 individuals were remanded for failing to adhere to SOPs, as reported by The Star. Offences from these individuals ranged from attempts to travel between states and districts, to failure to wear their face masks while out in public.
Rest assured, fines will only be imposed on individuals who refuse to adhere to SOPs despite warnings issued by authorities, according to The Star.
COVID-19 cases in Malaysia dip below the 2,000 mark, for the first time in almost 2 months
Also yesterday, 25th February, Malaysia recorded 1,924 new COVID-19 cases. This is a small win for the country, as it marks the first time since 4th January 2021, that daily COVID-19 cases have fallen below the 2,000 mark. Of the total cases reported yesterday, Selangor recorded the most cases with 666 new cases, while Johor, Sarawak and KL followed closely behind with 257, 219 and 218 new cases respectively.
MCO-related offences now with hefty fines of RM10k
We hope that the hefty RM10,000 fine that comes into effect on 11th March will really deter people from breaching MCO guidelines, as Malaysia rolls out vaccination so we can get this pandemic out of the way. The good thing is that the MCO 2.0 and SOPs in place seem to be working to keep the COVID-19 situation under control, as evident from the dip in daily COVID-19 cases reported in recent days.
Meantime, we hope that Malaysians continue to stay safe and comply with measures to help contain the spread of the virus.
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