A Briton was fined RM5,000 by the Magistrate’s Court yesterday (7 September) and sentenced to two days in jail for breaking his quarantine order to visit a bank in Bangsar.
Photo via Sunny Skyz
Magistrate Mohammad Aizat Abdul Rahim meted the sentence after the 64-year-old pleaded guilty to the charge, as reported by BERNAMA.
John Alan Forsyrh who is an engineer from England was charged under Section 24 (a) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) that provides a maximum jail term of two years, a fine, or both.
He was also charged with disobeying an order under Section 15(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 and violating Section 22 (b) of the same act at 1.50 pm on 20 July.
The court also ordered Forsyrh to be jailed for an additional two months if he failed to pay the fine.
Photo via Jakarta Globe
His lawyer, Muhammad Syafiq Salleh pleaded for his client to be spared imprisonment on the grounds that he had cooperated with the authorities while in custody.
“He has worked in Malaysia for more than 20 years and is now aged and lives alone here, while his family is in England,” he said.
“The prosecution requests for an appropriate punishment as a lesson not only to the accused but for the public at large to adhere to the quarantine order,” said deputy public prosecutor Abdul Khalid Nazeri as he urged the court to impose a sentence that reflects the severity of the offense.
Do NOT underestimate the COVID-19 virus. Although we don’t have the symptoms, we can still be carrying the virus and infecting other people without even realising it...
So if you have been ordered to isolate yourself at home, please do so!
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
