More than 50 people nabbed at karaoke centre for flouting Malaysia's Covid-19 movement curbs

The customers were busy partying in more than 15 rooms at the centre when police raided the premises on Dec 24. PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIAN NEWS NETWORK) - A total of 51 customers at a karaoke centre in Kuala Lumpur were caught for breaching Malaysia's conditional movement control order (MCO).

The customers were partying in more than 15 rooms at the centre when police raided the premises on Jalan Ipoh at about 11.30pm on Thursday (Dec 24).

Kuala Lumpur CID chief Senior Asst Comm Saiful Annuar Yusoff said customers used the back entrance instead of the front to make it seem like the premises was not in operation.

"We raided the karaoke centre based on information given by the public, who were suspicious of many vehicles using the back alley late at night.

"We investigated and true enough, the centre was operating, but allowing customers to use the back entrance only," he said after leading the police operation on Thursday.

Mr Saiful Annuar said the customers, aged between 29 and 53, were busy singing and partying, without adhering to standard operating procedures of the conditional MCO when the raid was conducted.

"The customers were issued with compounds," he said. "We also detained two Indonesian women, aged 29 and 39, as well as a local man, who was the caretaker of the premises."

The centre will also be monitored to ensure that it does not start operating again, Mr Saiful Annuar said.

"The centre was operating without a licence but we are not ruling out the possibility that it might have used a business licence for restaurant and bistro.

"We also seized various items, including business receipts, an amplifier and a microphone," he said adding that, two men and three women were also detained for testing positive for drugs.

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