Categories for Non-Compliance of Movement Control Order in Malaysia: A Review through Online News Report

Abstract

The Movement Control Order (MCO) has been enforced on 18th March 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. This MCO is hoped that it is able to lower the number of infection cases in Malaysia. However, some groups of societal members were found as non-compliant with the MCO as reported by the online news. The objective of this research was to identify the display category on the news of non-compliant citizens in MCO period. Data analysis had been performed on online news starting from 18th March 2020 until 28th April 2020 which is based on MCO Phase 1 up to Phase 3. More than 100 online news headlines about MCO violation had been analysed using content analysis method based on Social Interaction Theory. The research outcome has found that social interaction plays a vital role in non-compliance issue within the enforcement period of MCO as reported by online news. The categories for non-compliance of MCO are as follows i) Movement without a valid reason, ii) Sports and recreational activities, iii) Religious activities, iv) Visiting and having feast, v) Chatting at restricted area, vi) Drugs-related violation, vii) Crime involvement and police record, viii) Gambling and Entertainment, ix) Intake of drinks leading to intoxication and imagination and x) Violation by foreigners. The use of social interaction theory in this research has clearly illustrated that non-compliance of MCO shows self-control of the perpetrator as a result of social control is very weak. Generally, the violation of MCO has a relationship with the environment of social interaction. Social interaction has a conflict that leads to deviant act which causes the breach of rules and norms.