POLICE have recorded the statement of a couple who took to social media recently to complain about being fined RM10,000 each for breaching Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP).

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Huzir Mohamed said the man and the woman were called up by Bukit Aman’s CID Special Investigation Unit on Saturday.

“They had expressed their shock and disappointment at the action of the officer for issuing them compounds as they felt it was unjust.

“However, it was not the police who issued the ticket but an officer from (another) government agency,” Huzir said.

“We are looking into the case and we have referred the allegations made by the couple to the Health Ministry. We will investigate further,” he added.

A Facebook post by the man went viral over the weekend after he wrote that he and his female companion had been unfairly compounded while eating at a restaurant.

He said they had been wearing their face masks at 11.14am and took them off to eat when the food and drinks arrived two minutes later.

They were confronted by several officers from a government agency at 11.37am, who ordered them to hand over their MyKad for the purpose of issuing compounds.

The couple did not specify which agency the officers were from nor the specific offence they were compounded for.

From March 11, the fine for violating Covid-19 SOP was raised from RM1,000 to RM10,000 under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 through an emergency ordinance.

In response to complaints, Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said two days ago that people could appeal to the district health office if they had been compounded. – March 15, 2021.