WE are almost at the end of Day 32 of the MCO.  Every day we hear Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob talking about how we need to stay at home; how it is imperative that we only travel for essential business.  We are told that not adhering to the MCO is a criminal offence and that the police are getting tough and will arrest violators immediately. Indeed, that is surely an effective way to handle stubborn people and ensure that the MCO stays effective.

However, it is really disconcerting that certain members of the cabinet are flouting these laws openly and posting their disregard of the law on social media.  

About a week ago, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mustapa Mohamed had visited his constituents and posted photos of him inside a house having tea and not observing social distancing.  However, these posts were soon deleted after an uproar among netizens.

Then we have the Deputy Health Minister Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali, who visited a tahfiz school in Perak and who then shared a meal with more than a dozen people. Everyone was seated close together with no regard for social distancing. This was posted on his social media account for all to see and once again, as soon as there was an uproar, the posts were deleted.

Meanwhile, ordinary people are being arrested for MCO-related offences. People have been arrested for attending funerals; some for going jogging. There was one such incident in my neighbourhood today. We have seen videos online as well about how people are being turned back at roadblocks for not having a proper reason to go somewhere.  Today, Ismail Sabri said 13,639 people have been detained for violating the MCO since it was enforced on March 18, and on Friday alone, 1,565 people were detained, with 1,380 of them remanded and another 184 under police bail.

What is more confounding though is the fact that our leaders do not or rather choose not to set a good example.  How do you expect the rakyat to be compliant to the law when you abuse it willy nilly? This is clearly a set of double standards.  It needs to be corrected now.

Members of the cabinet have blatantly and wilfully violated the MCO. As reportedly stated by none other than  the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Takiyuddin Hassan previously, a breach of the MCO is a criminal and moral offence.  Further, their actions are putting the entire country at risk and defeats the entire purpose of the MCO. Isn’t this what you are telling the people? By no stretch of the imagination could visiting constituents or a tahfiz school be considered essential.

As to the statement by Ismail Sabri that he will let the police deal with it, I am sorry but that is not acceptable or enough.  I call on the government to take stern action against these ministers who have broken the law and are proud enough to broadcast and brag about it on social media.  This is contemptuous and borders on despicable. The ministers concerned should be stripped of their portfolios. We do not need ministers who have no regard for the law. Allowing them to retain their positions implies that you condone criminal and immoral behaviour.

We cannot allow double standards.  Show the people that you mean business.  Make an example out of everyone who flouts the MCO.  The police and the government must take action against these members.  The virus does not differentiate between VIPs and the common people. You shouldn’t either. – April 18, 2020.

* Dharm Navaratnam reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.