KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 ― Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali has denied responsibility for the closure of a mosque in Kuala Nerus, where he is the federal elected representative, for Covid-19 disinfection.

Utusan Malaysia reported the Kuala Nerus MP saying that the sanitisation exercise had nothing to do with him.

"Not linked.

"Wait for the statement from the Ministry of Health as we do not want to create panic among the people and, God willing, the ministry will do the best,” he was reported saying.

He spoke to reporters after an event in Hotel Paya Bunga last night that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Datuk Seri Mohd. Redzuan Md Yusof also attended.

"Firstly, as a minister, I must abide by the rules and leave it to the Ministry of Health to make a statement,” he added.

The Seberang Bukit Tumbuh mosque in Khairuddin’s constituency was closed for four days beginning yesterday evening, for disinfection works.

On Tuesday, Khairuddin’s predecessor, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, pointed out that the minister had visited Turkey between July 3 and 7 but was already back in Parliament on July 13.

Yesterday, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the minister should have been quarantined as it was compulsory to do so and that an investigation will be made into why this did not happen.

Under the National Security Council’s SOP, all returnees are tested on arrival and those with negative results must then serve out their 14-day quarantine while those testing positive are sent to a hospital for further treatment.

A breach of this order is punishable under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 by up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both upon conviction.