Social media users ream out deputy minister over tahfiz visit

Updated 4 years ago · Published on 18 Apr 2020 12:21PM · 10 Comments

Deputy Health Minister Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali eating lunch with other men at a tahfiz school in Perak recently. This and other photos of his entourage’s visit to the school have been removed from his Facebook page, which also appears to have been deleted. – Screenshot, April 18, 2020.

THE deputy health minister has caught flak over photos of him tucking into a meal with more than a dozen people at a Perak tahfiz school, in breach of movement-control order (MCO) rules barring public gatherings.

The photos were shared on Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali’s Facebook page before they were taken down. The account, too, appears to have been deleted.

However, screenshots of the pictures have been posted by social media users.

The Malaysian Insight is contacting the Bersatu politician for comment.

In one photo, Dr Noor Azmi, who is Bagan Serai MP, wears a mask as he hands over a donation to the Lenggong mahaad tahfiz.

In his Facebook post, he said the visit to the school was organised by Perak exco Razman Zakaria of PAS, and that the entourage was treated to lunch.

Other pictures showed Dr Noor Azmi seated on the floor with other men, eating rice and other dishes laid out on mats.

Angry Twitter users slammed the deputy minister for flouting the MCO and not practising social distancing.

“Why are they allowed to break the rules? Are there different rules for the elite and ordinary people?” said @bobot34428509.

Another user, @ThisBirdy, tagged police in a post that said: “How about this? The people follow the MCO, the minister disobeys the MCO.”

“Do you expect the people to respect you?” said @Bedah52455067.

Other users posting on the matter tagged the Health Ministry, Senior Minister and National Security Council spokesman Ismail Sabri Yaakob, and Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

“What is your take on this? Are you going to keep quiet and let it pass?” said @kiloalpha1968, who tagged Ismail Sabri and Muhyiddin.

Dr Noor Azmi is the latest Perikatan Nasional cabinet member to court wrath online.

Late last month, social media users took aim at Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin for wearing a personal protective equipment (PPE) suit when observing a sanitation exercise, amid a nationwide shortage of PPE for healthcare workers.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mustapa Mohamad last week posted, and then deleted, pictures of himself seated close to other people during a visit to Jeli.

And, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba became the butt of jokes when he said on live TV that drinking warm water would help keep Covid-19 at bay.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rina Harun, meanwhile, drew scorn for her ministry’s advisory to women, telling them to be cute and coy with their husbands to ease tensions while cooped up indoors during the MCO. – April 18, 2020.

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Comments

  • Well lets see whether Datuk Ismail Sabri applies the law equally to MPs and ordinary folk or come out with excuses to justify the MPs exemption from prosecution. The courts should now consider being lenient to the public as the leaders of PN obviously do not regard compliance with the MCO as being mandatory. There is Zuraida, Noraini and now this chap. Why should ordinary people be penalised and jailed but Ministers get away with committing a crime. This country is a democracy not a feudal state.

    Posted 4 years ago by Michael Raj · Reply

  • Arrest him

    Posted 4 years ago by Penganalisa L · Reply

  • Walking a dog gets arrested but sitting and eating together get away scott free. Madness

    Posted 4 years ago by Elyse Gim · Reply

  • Another stupid idiot! Gelaran doktor but act like an uneducated retard!

    Posted 4 years ago by Chee yee ng · Reply

  • If the police does not haul him up in handcuffs and charge him then this government practices injustice. Cant wait to vote this backdoor government out.

    Posted 4 years ago by Loyal Malaysian · Reply

  • Political survival outweigh the pandemic.

    Posted 4 years ago by Neo apartheird 101 · Reply

  • will he be charged??????????????????????????????

    Posted 4 years ago by Lipdah Lia · Reply

  • Backdoor Govt shld be FAIR to those Rakyat who are observing the MCO Seriously. Backdoor govt Politicians Ministers or Monsters are NOT COMPLYING TO MCO . How do u backdoor govt want Public to Respect your MCO Rules when the Minsters or Monsters BREAK THE MCO. NO DOUBLE STANDARD PLS

    Posted 4 years ago by Lucky Boy · Reply

  • Send all tahfiz back to their parents to manage them. The Pandemic can be under Control then.

    Posted 4 years ago by Lucky Boy · Reply

  • Backdoor gomen officials are arrogant and stupid. Why is there one law for the rakyat and another law for dumbo back door politicians. How can we respect the police and obey the law?

    Posted 4 years ago by Jeevaraj Nadarajah · Reply