by BERNAMA / pic by RAZAK GHAZALI

POLICE will be calling the organisers involved in the gathering at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex on Tuesday for breaching the Recovery Movement Control Order standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Mazlan Mansor said the organisers would be called soon to assist in investigations under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012, and the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.

“Earlier last week, police from the Sentul District Police Headquarters (IPD) had a meeting with the rally organisers and were informed of their plan to bring in their delegation.

“Yes, we permitted the organisers to bring the groups, but on the condition that they observe the social-distancing rule. However, at the gathering on Tuesday, they have violated the SOPs (as there was no social distancing among them),” he said at a press conference after officiating the new Sentul IPD.

Mazlan said the police have issued instructions and advised the people to adhere to the social-distancing SOPs at the court complex.

He said those who breached the SOPs while showing their support for Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak would be identified through closed-circuit television camera recordings at the court complex. Mazlan said the community should be more vigilant and responsible as the fight against Covid-19 is far from over and new cases are on the rise lately.

Responding to the public’s queries on why the police did not take immediate action towards the crowd who gathered at the court complex on Tuesday, he said police did not want to worsen the situation, while assuring that those who breached the SOPs would be compounded.

“When something like this (non-compliance) happens, the police and Health Ministry will be blamed. We have repeatedly been told to protect ourselves and the people around us, but these people do not seem to care.

“In this case, we will continue and complete the investigations before handing the papers over to the Attorney General’s Chambers for further action,” he said.

The public on Tuesday expressed concern over the possible spread of Covid-19 and the emergence of a new cluster following the lack of social distancing among the crowd at the court complex as they waited for the verdict in Najib’s corruption charges involving SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.