KUALA LUMPUR: One particular area in the city has recently become the talk of the town.
Besides the now famous, Mak Cik Kiah, “Mont Kiara” has also found its way onto the Twitter trending list.
Not because of its properties, green sanctuary or hipster cafes, but the locality is now infamously known for some of its residents who flout the Movement Control Order (MCO).
Since the start of the MCO, several Mont Kiara residents were spotted jogging in public, some even with their children and toddlers.
Concerned or agitated citizens took to social media to share footages of these joggers, while tagging the police.
Netizens have even labelled this scenario as the “Mont Kiara bubble” or “Mont Kiara Virus”, using these terms to describe those who fail to adhere to the MCO in parts of the country.
“Malu betul bila nampak orang still jog area Mont Kiara time Covid-19 ni sampai aku sendiri dah taknak mengaku stay area sana (It's a shame to see people still jogging in Mont Kiara amid Covid-19. I don't even want to admit to staying there),” a netizen who goes by the handle @xanaxoverdosed tweeted.
Shaqib wrote: “This 'Mont Kiara bubble' disease is contagious.”
“Selamat pagi kepada semua, kecuali peguam Mont Kiara yang nak kebebasan keluar rumah masa pandemik ni (Good morning to everyone, except to the Mont Kiara lawyer who wants to head out at this time),” Yoroshique.
“Police, perhaps, you could implement this at Mont Kiara?” Joe Lee posted while sharing a footage of policemen in India caning men on the street for defying a lockdown order.
Another Twitter user wrote: “How selfish do you have to be?? Tak kesian ke our healthcare workers? Good on the cops for picking up the joggers from Mont Kiara!”
In a footage shared on March 27, men in uniforms in a patrol car could be seen voicing their frustration upon seeing a person jogging at a residential area.
Netizens were quick to notice how the resident in the video was quick to move from jogging to running upon realising the patrol car behind him.
“If you run fast enough, Covid-19 can’t keep up,” a netizen joked.
“After getting scolded, from jogging to Usain Bolt,” Khabir tweeted.
City police chief Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim said eleven joggers, including nine foreigners were detained yesterday during a MCO patrol and inspection at Mont Kiara and Desa Kiara at 7.30am and 9.30am, respectively.
Those detained were two locals, four Japanese nationals, Korean (two) and one each from United Kingdom, the United States and India.
All of them were investigated under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020 which carries a fine of RM1,000, or imprisonment up to six months, or both, if convicted.
Investigations were also carried out under Section 186 of the Penal Code which carries a punishment of imprisonment not more than two years, or a fine not exceeding RM10,000, or both if convicted.