11 Mont Kiara joggers plead guilty to defying MCO, fined RM1,000 by court

A billboard displaying a message on the movement control order is pictured in Kuala Lumpur March 31, 2020. — Picture by Firdaus Latif
A billboard displaying a message on the movement control order is pictured in Kuala Lumpur March 31, 2020. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 — A total of 11 joggers of various nationalities, including two Malaysians, have pleaded guilty at the Magistrate’s Court today for violating the movement control order (MCO) enforced nationwide to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The 11 accused were British national Jamie Bubb Sacklyn; Korean nationals Woo Yum Sik, Lee Jong Young, Kwang Suk Lee; Japanese nationals Tanaka Toshihiko, Koichi Itano, Mitsuhiru Takayanagi, Taichi Okubo; Malaysians SK Ramani, Au Yong Vooi Loon and Indian national Vikram Belliappa.

According to the charge sheet, all of them were accused with failing to comply with the MCO by moving within Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur to perform actions not stipulated under Regulation 3 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020.

All of them were accused of committing the offence in the district of Brickfields around 7.15pm on March 29.

The offence upon conviction provides for a fine of RM1,000 and a jail term of not more than six months, or both, upon conviction.

After pleading guilty, Magistrate Mohamad Aizat Abdul Rahim fined each of the accused RM1,000 in default one month jail.

Deputy public prosecutor Hanis Anisha Jamilludin prosecuted.

Last week in Mont Kiara, police arrested all 11 men after photos and videos showing people — presumably residents of the area — jogging in the outdoors in apparent defiance of the MCO went viral and subsequently led to public backlash.

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