POLICE have opened another investigation paper into celebrity Neelofa Mohd Noor, this time for allegedly not wearing a face mask while at the Seremban magistrates’ court yesterday.

According to Seremban district police chief Mohd Said Ibrahim, a police report was lodged for non-compliance with standard operating procedures (SOP) regarding the wearing of face masks as required by the health ministry for everyone.

She was in a court where one or two police constables would have been on duty. She was to face a charge or charges before a Magistrate. Anyone familiar with the court proceeding will know that a court interpreter – an officer of the court – would call out the case against her. The prosecuting officer (PO) – a police inspector if not a deputy public prosecutor (DPP) – would then address the court and request that the charge against her be read.

The charge would be read, explained and she would be asked if she understood the charge. She would then be asked how she would plead: Would she plead guilty or not guilty?

All these in a court of law, before a judicial officer – a Magistrate – and in the company of other officers of the court – PO/DPP, court interpreter and police constable/s.

Ignore the members of the public and the media – with apologies – because they are not law enforcement officers.

And no one was alerted that Neelofa had no face mask under her transparent niqab? Yes, a transparent niqab.

If indeed she had no face mask – her niqab not being one – she should have been removed from the court, given a compound and ordered to put on a face mask. Only then would she be allowed to enter the courtroom again.

Was everyone awestruck by a celebrity? – May 21, 2021.

* Hafiz Hassan 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.