Neelofa, hubby plead not guilty to CMCO violation

SEREMBAN: TV host-entrepreneur Neelofa has pleaded not guilty at a Magistrate's Court here to a charge of violating the conditional movement control order (MCO) by not registering her personal details before entering a premises in Nilai 3.

The 32-year-old claimed trial to the charge of failing to check in via the MySejahtera application or register manually at Naem Carpet, located at the Nilai Industrial Area, at 4pm on May 2.

She was charged on Thursday (May 20) before Magistrate Mahyun Yusof with failing to adhere to standard operating procedures (SOP) issued by the Health director-general requiring individuals to check-in at a premises, as stipulated under Rule 19 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Regulations (conditional movement order) 2021.

Offenders can be fined not more than RM50,000 or jailed not more than six months, or both, upon conviction.

Earlier, her husband Muhammad Haris Mohd Ismail, 26, also claimed trial to the same charge.

He also pleaded not guilty to a second charge of failing to put on a face mask while in a public place.

Deputy public prosecutor Nor Azizah Aling asked the court to set bail at RM10,000 for Neelofa but her counsel Haresh Mahadevan objected, saying there was no provision for this as it was a summons case.

The prosecution also asked bail to be set at RM20,000 for Muhammad Haris.

Mahyun then set bail at RM10,000 for Muhammad Haris and RM5,000 for Neelofa, and fixed June 4 for next mention.

The couple arrived at the Seremban Court Complex in a BMW at 8.50am.

The couple's driver was, however, stopped at the entrance as all those entering the building had to scan their details before being allowed in.

A couple of minutes later, the couple walked to the guardhouse and scanned their respective MySejahtera applications.

Neelofa wore a beige niqab, long-sleeved white satin blouse and long taupe-coloured satin skirt, while her husband was clad in a matching long-sleeved white shirt and khaki pants.

The couple left the court complex at 10.10am after posting bail.

On May 4, the couple had their statements taken at Nilai district police headquarters after photographs and a video of them at a carpet shop went viral on social media.

On April 27, Neelofa, whose real name is Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor, was issued a compound for failing to practise physical distancing during her recent wedding ceremony and for breaching interstate travel regulations by taking part in activities not permitted by police.

She was fined RM20,000. Her husband, popularly known as PU Riz, was issued a RM10,000 compound for breaching interstate travel regulations.

Twenty of their relatives were issued with a RM1,500 compound each, totalling RM30,000, for failing to practise physical distancing during the wedding ceremony.

Neelofa and her husband were called in after photographs and videos of them spending time in Langkawi went viral.