THE timing of the Ministry of Health’s statement today on Plantation, Industries, and Commodities Minister Khairuddin Aman Razali’s RM1,000 fine for skipping quarantine after returning from Turkey has only raised more questions.
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, who is also Khairuddin’s predecessor in his post, said that many Malaysians were shocked that Khairuddin had been fined RM1,000 on August 7 and had already paid for it.
“I raised the issue of Khairuddin breaching the 14-day quarantine order after returning from Turkey in the Dewan Rakyat on August 18, 2020, but director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the Ministry of Health was investigating,” she said in a statement.
“Why did the ministry release a statement today informing the public that a compound had been issued and that he has paid the fine?”
Kok said it is unlikely that Health Minister Dr Adham Baba or Noor Hisham would not have known about the fine.
She added that Khairuddin had not informed the media all along that he has been fined more than two weeks ago and had paid up.
In fact, she said he only apologised and declared he would donate his salary today, after the ministry announced that action has been taken.
“It is clear that the ministry’s statement today and the RM1,000 compound issued to the minister on August 7, 2020, was carried out on the orders or under the pressure of the higher ups, be it the cabinet or the National Security Council,” she said.
Citing Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, that quarantine violators will be brought to court, Kok wanted to know why the cabinet minister was given special treatment and only given a backdated compound of RM1,000.
“Once again, the people are seeing double standards in the implementation of the Covid-19 movement control order. The people’s anger is evident on the ministry’s Facebook page,” she said.
The ministry’s press statement on the matter, which was uploaded to its Facebook page garnered 18,900 reactions and 7,800 comments, most of which have been unfavourable.
Khairuddin also tops the list of trending topics in Malaysia on Twitter.
Lawyer Lim Weit Jiet took to Twitter to question the difference between punishments meted out to other civilian quarantine offenders and the minister.
“Pink wristband Aunty = fined RM8k + one day imprisoned. Sivagangga = fine RM12k + 5 months in prison. Minister Khairuddin = fine RM1k.
“All made the same mistake: violating quarantine order.
“Sorry, but where is the kedaulatan undang-undang (upholding the law) stated in the Rukun Negara,” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, C4’s executive director Cynthia Gabriel tweeted that double standards crush the rule of law.
“Equality before the law is a cornerstone of our constitution… double standards means crushing the rule of law.. thats what this is!!” she said. – August 22, 2020.
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Comments
Posted 5 years ago by Lucky Boy · Reply
Posted 5 years ago by Chai Hin Goh · Reply
The Health Ministry has no jurisdiction to decide on fines or punishment. Only the Courts can do so.
The Health Ministry can only provide evidence in a Court of Law if and when asked to do so. They have clearly overstepped their authority, and the Minister's multiple transgressions of the law cannot be considered closed.
If anything, a separate police investigation should also be launched into the actions of those in the Health Ministry who have tried to subvert the rule of law.
Will the backdoor PM and his backdoor illegitimate government be capable of doing so?
Do they even understand what Rule of Law means?
Posted 5 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply