Putrajaya district police chief Mohd Fadzil Ali said they should not have held such an event in the federal territory as it was currently under MCO.

“Compound fines have been issued to the organisers under Section 22(B) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988,” he said in a statement today.

Yesterday, Putrajaya Umno Youth vice-chief Mohd Zushaidey Zulkifli claimed the division had obtained the necessary approvals from the National Security Council and the police.

He said they observed Covid-19 procedures by distributing the chicken via a drive-through system.

Fadzil said checks by police showed that not only was the programme done without approval, the organisers had also failed to comply with Covid-19 rules.

On Thursday, traffic in Putrajaya came to a standstill after some 2,000 people rushed to collect the free frozen chicken being handed out by the local Umno Youth division.

According to a Sinar Harian report, around 2,000 birds were distributed outside an animal shelter in Presint 9.

Pictures of the congestion, which showed a seemingly endless line of cars and motorcycles sent chills down the spine of many social media users who raised fears that it could lead to a rise in Covid-19 infections.