SIBU, Jan 20: Today is the fifth day of the Movement Control Order (MCO) here and residents here including the business community are law-abiding as they are complying with the standard operating procedures.
There are of course some who had been compounded for violating the MCO, an offence under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 1988 which carries a fine of RM1,000.
A check around the town area today showed traffic was lesser than any ordinary day. There is also no crowd at the central market. Check-point by the police along major roads such as Jalan Dr Wong Soon Kia is still on as like the previous MCO.
Overall there is full compliance with the SOPs which included the wearing of face masks, and social distancing in a public area.
Businesses such as eating outlets are also serving take-away only while only those shop categorised under essential service, are opened.
The MCO was enforced in Sibu Division which includes Sibu, Kanowit and Selangau districts following a sudden surge in positive cases from Pasai Cluster.
Sibu Crime Prevention and Community Policing Department chief, Dep Supt Ariffin Bahar who had a field day since MCO 2.0 took effect on Jan 16, acknowledged that townfolks are more discipline now when it comes to SOP compliance.
“The level of compliance to MCO here is 98 per cent,” he said, adding that the integrated MCO enforcement team, however, would take stern action against defaulters.
This action included issuing the RM1,000 compound which MCO defaulters must pay within 14 days.
“The people must continue to cooperate by abiding with the SOP so as to help us curb the spread of Covid-19 here,” he said.
DSP Ariffin said since Jan 18 when compounding action started, they had taken such action against five individuals.
Among them included a durian seller, a man who was caught fishing at the roadside in Jalan Kemuyang and three members of a family who were going to town in the same car along Jalan Dr Wong Soon Kai when the number allowed is two persons at a time. – DayakDaily
