KUCHING: Sarawakians who defy the mandatory nation-wide movement control order, which began yesterday, could be hauled up by the authorities.
Under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, eatery operators and patrons found guilty of ignoring the order are looking at a prison term of between two and five years, fine or both.
Sarawak Commissioner of Police Datuk Aidi Ismail said police were coordinating with all local councils to enforce the order throughout the state.
“Our approach is to advise, warn and arrest if they still refuse to obey (the order).
“Coffee shops can only do takeaways, no dining-in,” he said in response to eateries still in the dark or simply refuse to follow the order.
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, at a press conference on Tuesday in Bukit Aman after attending a meeting in Putrajaya with the National Security Council, military and other agencies, advised Malaysians to adhere to the order.
He hoped that during the two-week period, the public would play their roles and observe the law by practising social distancing without the need for police enforcement.
Images and videos are making the rounds on social media in which police officers were seen patrolling and ordering non-essentials businesses to close.
Netizens also took to social media to vent their frustrations at some people who continued to defy the order despite the rising Covid-19 cases.
