GEORGE TOWN: It was a busy day at the Magistrates' Courts in Penang as a total of 183 people including 21 foreigners were charged today for disobeying the Movement Control Order (MCO).
The highest number of cases were registered at Bukit Mertajam with 77 people being charged followed by 73 charged in Butterworth and 33 in George Town.
The accused, aged between 15 to 66, were detained by police for violating the MCO during a special Ops Covid-19 between March 24 to 29.
They were charged under Section 3(1) of the of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020, punishable under Section 7(1) of the same Regulations which carries a maximum six months' jail or maximum RM1,000 fine or both upon conviction.
At the Bukit Mertajam Magistrates' Court, only one claimed trial while the other 76 pleaded guilty for the offences they committed at several locations in Seberang Perai Tengah district.
Those who pleaded guilty were fined RM1,000 each while sentencing for cases involving two minors, aged 16 and 17, have been fixed on May 14 pending their disciplinary reports.
Court also fixed May 14 for mention of another under aged teen who claimed trial for her offence.
On the other hand, pleas were not recorded for 21 foreigners as they could not understand the charge sheet read out to them in Bahasa Melayu.
Court fixed May 14 for an interpreter to read it out before their pleas are recorded.
At the Butterworth Magistrates' Court, all 73 people admitted their offences for flouting the MCO and were either fined RM1,000 each, or three months' compulsory attendance order, or jailed for a day.
At the George Town Magistrates' Court, 33 were charged with 25 pleading guilty while eight others claimed trial.
32 people flouting the MCO were accused of committing the offence at several locations at the northeast district between March 27 and 28.
Those who pleaded guilty were either sentenced to two weeks prison with RM1,000 fine, or one week prison with RM1,000 fine, or 10 days prison with RM1,000 fine, two weeks prison, or three months' compulsory attendance order.
For the others who claimed trial, court fixed May 12 for mention with bail between RM4,000 to RM5,000.
G. Rubenraj, 19, pleaded guilty for obstructing civil servants from discharging their duties by pushing and swearing at police during a roadblock at Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah on March 27.
He was sentenced to one month jail from the day he was arrested with RM1,000 fine under Section 186 of the Penal Code.