The 61-year-old doctor who defied the movement control order (MCO) by jogging in a park two weeks ago claimed trial at the Penang Magistrate’s Court today to a charge of obstructing the duty of a city council officer and violating disease control laws.
Dr Ong Hean Teik, who was handcuffed and brought to the courthouse in a police car, was charged in a closed-door session.
A police officer said he pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out to him.
Ong was charged under Section 186 of the Penal Code with obstructing the duties of Penang Island City Council enforcement officer Muhd Alif Aizad Abd Latif at City Park at Quarry Drive off Jalan Utama at 4.45pm on March 19.
He was also charged under Regulation 3(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020 with leaving his Tanjung Bungah home that day to carry out an activity classified as non-essential under MCO regulations.
The first offence carries a two-year jail term or RM10,000 fine upon conviction, while the second carries a RM1,000 fine or six-month jail term.
Magistrate Jamaliah Abdul Manaf set bail at RM13,000 for both charges – RM8,000 for the first and RM5,000 for the second charge.
The court also ordered Ong to surrender his passport and to report to the police station every month.
Case mention has been set for June 9.
Deputy public prosecutor Yazid Mustaqim Roslan prosecuted while Bala Mahesan represented Ong.
According to the charge sheet, Ong went jogging alone at a recreational park and had argued with Penang Island City Council (MBPP) enforcement officers that there was nothing wrong in doing so for the sake of his health.
A four-minute clip of his argument with the enforcement officers went viral, leading the police to investigate the doctor for violating the MCO.
In a recent interview with the New Straits Times, Ong defended his action of not staying home, arguing that the MCO was not a confinement order.
He had admitted that the MCO was put in place to prevent crowding which may result in the spread of Covid-19 virus.
However, he argued that a lone walker, exercising, should not be considered as ‘crowding’.