Azis Jamman, who is Warisan youth chief, said that although they had breached movement restrictions, the authorities should have been more sensitive to their plight.
“The people are already doing their best to comply with the movement control order (MCO) but the government should also be sympathetic to their plight,” he said in a statement here today.
“It’s bad enough that there is no food aid but their movements are also restricted. They need food and medicine.
“What does the government expect them to do? Starve?”
Azis was speaking after accompanying Warisan president Shafie Apdal to distribute food aid to villagers and to repair a boardwalk in Kampung Cenderamata, Likas here today.
The eight villagers, including a senior citizen, were arrested and brought to the Tenom police headquarters and fined on Jan 27. They were in a bus that was carrying more than the 50% passenger limit.
The villagers, who came from the interiors, said their offence was unintentional, especially since their homes were far away from Tenom town, making it hard for them to get their essentials.
One villager named Irip Pang said she made the journey to get supplies for her granddaughter who was young and disabled.
“I didn’t come here for fun, I wanted to buy necessities – milk and diapers – for my grandchild. No one else can take care of my grandchild because her mother has passed away, while my husband is too old and can’t go out.”
In a press conference earlier today, Sabah police chief Hazani Ghazali said he emphatised with the villagers’ situation but at the same time also defended the action by his men.
He stressed that the action taken was to create public awareness on the importance to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Hazani also explained that the villagers were in a “kereta sapu”, or pirate taxi.
“The driver tried to make extra profits by bringing more than the permitted 50% passenger capacity in his car. The compound was issued to the driver as well as the passengers for violating the SOPs.
“I really sympathise with the villagers, they are not really aware (of the SOPs) but because of the driver who wanted to make a quick buck, police had to take action,” he said.
Meanwhile, a group of netizens have banded together to help the villagers pay the RM8,000 fine. However, Warisan state assemblyman for Melalap, Peter Anthony, has already paid the fine for the villagers.
The netizens, meanwhile, managed to raise RM,7,901. “We will use the money we raised to provide aid for the villagers,” said Lina Klasik on twitter.