KOTA BHARU – A total of 25 police personnel, including officers, in Kelantan have been confirmed positive with COVID-19, and almost 200 others were instructed to undergo quarantine due to the pandemic.
Kelantan Police Chief Datuk Shafien Mamat said being infected with the disease was part of the”sacrifices” of more than 3,000 members of the police force in the state in discharging their daily duties and responsibilities currently.
This, he said was apart from having to bear the accusations and insults by some people when the police took action against them for violating the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
“During the day, we set up roadblocks and at night, we conduct patrols. The challenge for our members is to deal with family problems as we don’t get to apply for leave,” he said.
He said there was an occasion when all the staff at a police station had to be in quarantine because one of their colleagues was infected with COVID-19.
“As a result, we had to send replacement members from the headquarters to the police station so as not to disrupt its operation,” he added.
Police can get infected
Shafien said the public should understand how vulnerable are the police personnel to be infected with COVID-19 when discharging their duty.
“For example, when make an arrest and the suspect is COVID-19 positive suspect, and we do not know about it. From the time the suspect is arrested and then place in remand in lockup until the suspect is taken to court, the policemen are at risk of being infected and to many more others, if we are not careful,” he added.
He said that was the challenge that needed to be be faced by the police in safeguarding the people’s interest and the country.
As such, he advised members of the police to have a high level of patience as their actions were being watched by the public.
“To those who appreciate our role, like those who provide food and drinks to our personnel on duty at roadblocks, we thank you,” he said.
Arrested after tip-off
Police have arrested two men and seized 6,600 kg of frozen chicken estimated to be worth RM60,500, believed to be smuggled in from a neighbouring country, in Kampung Ayer Lanas, here, yesterday.
Jeli district police chief DSP Ahmad Arifin, in a statement today, said the suspects, aged 18 and 27, were arrested at 9 am after the police inspected a lorry based on a tip-off from the public and found 550 boxes containing the frozen chicken.
He said the suspects failed to produce a valid import permit issued by the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department (MAQIS) as well as the health certificate from the originating country to bring the frozen chicken into Malaysia.
The suspects and the seized items have been handed over to MAQIS for investigations under Section 11 (1) of the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Act 2011.
“If found guilty, the offenders shall be liable to a fine not exceeding RM100,000 or imprisonment of up to six years or both,” he said.
New tactic to smuggle oil found
The Kelantan Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) meanwhile has uncovered a new tactic of smuggling cooking oil into Thailand by using sand lorries through an illegal base near the Malaysia-Thailand border.
Its chief enforcement officer Azanizam Affendi Juri said the new tactic was uncovered following the seizure of an Isuzu lorry laden with 1,360 kg of cooking oil worth RM3,400 in a raid at a house in Pengkalan Kubor at 3 pm yesterday.
“During the raid which was conducted during an integrated operation with the 8th battalion of the General Operations Force (GOF), a man believed to be the lorry driver was also arrested.
“Preliminary investigations found that the lorry driver was paid RM100 to bring the cooking oil to a location given by the smugglers who would contact him via phone calls,” he said in a statement today adding that the cooking oil supply was obtain from a wholesaler in Pasir Mas.
Azanizam Affendi said the lorry driver was nabbed after he was suspected of committing an offence under the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
