GEORGE TOWN – George Town police chief Soffian Santong has refuted claims that Penang police are being deployed to roam apartment lobbies to ambush those not wearing masks when exiting elevators.
In fact, he said, if police are seen to be loitering around, they are on the lookout for criminal activities and not just to fine people.
“We are only doing our regular patrolling. If there is any wrongdoing, we will issue compounds,” he said.
“We patrol streets, residential areas, and workspaces. We not only look out for people who violate the SOPs (standard operating procedures), but we also check for criminal activity.
“We don’t wait at the elevator area of an apartment just to catch people who violate SOPs – but if we do catch someone (flouting the rules), then we are just doing our jobs.
“When we see people breaking the law, of course we will take action. By right, during this movement control order (MCO), people are supposed to stay at home, not visit each other.”
When asked if anyone found violating the SOPs will immediately be summoned, Soffian said it will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
“However, I would tell my men that if they see too many people in one elevator not wearing masks, they should act,” he said, adding that although many complaints of SOP violations have been reported, the violators would have already fled the area by the time police head over.
Soffian was commenting on a viral WhatsApp message that claimed that police are waiting to ambush those who exit elevators at the lobbies of residential flats in the Bayan Lepas area and book those who flout SOPs.
As it so happened, 29 police personnel and four Penang City Council officers did run an SOP spot-check at the Batu Lanchang wet market on Friday evening.
Many, including vendors themselves, did not scan the MySejahtera QR code when entering the market. Entrances to the loading bay did not have the QR code, which resulted in 11 individuals being fined.
On another note, police have been tracking down secret drug and gambling dens around Penang.
Eight men and three women aged between 20 and 40 were nabbed two nights ago on suspicion of possessing and consuming drugs at a hotel on Jalan Machang Bubok.
Meanwhile, several youths and 20 senior citizens were caught gambling during a raid on a mahjong game at a rented residential unit in Air Itam. The raid was conducted by the Penang police contingent headquarters together with the cooperation of the anti-vice, gambling and secret societies division (D7) team. – The Vibes, February 7, 2021
