JOHOR BARU: A total of 147 people, including a foreign woman, were slapped with compound notices totalling RM750,000 for violating standard operating procedures (SOP) under the National Recovery Plan (NRP) at an entertainment centre in Taman Ekoflora here.

       Johor Baru South OCPD Asst Comm Raub Selamat said the individuals, comprising 95 men and 52 women, were found to be in violation of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.

       "The Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (NCID) - together with the Johor Baru South task force team - conducted an inspection at the entertainment centre and found that it had operated without a licence and violated the SOP under Phase 4 of the NRP.

       "The inspection was conducted at about 10.30pm on Thursday (Nov 11)," he said in a statement here on Friday (Nov 12).

       He added that among those arrested were the premises owner and a foreign woman.

       The police have also confiscated some of the items at the entertainment centre, namely a microphone, a sound mixer, a power amplifier and three receipts.

       "All suspects were issued compound notices under Regulation 17(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2021 for violating the SOP.

       "The premises owner was issued with a RM25,000 compound notice while the others were given compound notices worth RM5,000 each," he said, adding that the case was investigated under Section 6(2) of the Entertainment and Places of Entertainment Enactment.

       He also said members of the public who have any information on criminal activities can contact the Johor Baru South hotline at 07-2182 323 or go to the nearest police station.