BUTTERWORTH: Six men at a gymnasium here were slapped with compound notices for allegedly breaching the standard operating procedures (SOP) during the nationwide lockdown.
North Seberang Prai OCPD Asst Comm Noorzainy Mohd Noor said a 58-year-old man, believed to be the caretaker of the gym, and five other individuals were found at the premises on Jalan Bagan Luar, Butterworth at around 6pm on Tuesday (June 15).
When we spot checked the gym, the person in charge told us that he was arranging the equipment and doing some maintenance jobs there.
However, further investigation revealed that five other men, including an underage youth, were exercising in the gym.
The person in charge was slapped with a RM10,000 compound notice for running a non-essential business without permission.
The other men were slapped with a compound notice of RM2,000 each for breaching the SOP, he said in a statement on Wednesday (June 16).
On a separate matter, ACP Noorzainy said seven men and a woman were arrested for gambling at a coffee shop in Taman Mesra in Mak Mandin at around 5.30pm on Tuesday (June 15).
They were found gambling at several separate tables in the premises.
The owner of the premises was slapped with a RM10,000 compound notice for conducting illegal gambling activities whereas the gamblers were issued a RM1,500 compound notice each for failing to maintain physical distancing.
All those arrested were sent to the North Seberang Prai police headquarters together with the seized gambling equipment and RM2,356 cash for further investigation.
The case will be investigated under Section 6(1) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, he added.
Meanwhile, ACP Noorzainy expressed his disappointment as some individuals failed to comply with the SOP.
The public should be more aware of the SOP and practise them in their daily lives.
Everyone must play their part in keeping the Covid-19 virus at bay, he said.