87 compounds in a week

KUCHING: Police issued a total of 87 compound notices to errant individuals for failing to comply with Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) from Oct 19 to 25.

District police chief ACP Awang Din Awang Gani said 74 men and 13 women had been found violating the SOPs under the recovery movement control order (RMCO).

“All local offenders were found not practising physical distancing, not wearing face masks in public places along with premises found failing to provide sanitation equipment and logbooks for incoming customers’ details as well as the MySejahtera QR code.

“A total of 14 inspections were conducted in the week. Of the figure, 13 were conducted at eateries while another inspection was conducted at the Travillion parking lot in Jalan Petanak.

“The common offense made was not practising physical distancing. There are some who gave excuses that they were not told (about the SOP); such reason is not to be exempted from being compounded as the government has reminded the public daily about the SOPs in efforts to curb the Covid-19 transmission chain,” he said in a statement.

The compounds were issued in accordance to Regulation 3 and Regulation 10 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) (No. 8) Regulations 2020.

He noted that all of them were given a 14-day period from the date of the compound to settle the RM1,000 fine at the Kuching Division Health office.

ACP Awang Din stressed that the police will not be lenient on such matters and compounds will be issued on the spot to any individual seen not complying with the SOPs.

With new clusters being announced, the police chief called on the public to always abide by imposed rules including wearing face masks in public places and physical distancing and for business operators, it is necessary to ensure that there is a body temperature screening device, logbook for customers’ details and sanitary fluid.