KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 — An aide to Datuk Khairuddin Aman Razali has denied today that the minister has been put on leave following a police investigation into his failure to adhere to Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP).

Malaysiakini reported the aide, Muhammad Faudzi Jalil, as saying that it is business as usual for the plantation industries and commodities minister.

"No. The police have yet to say anything. He just got back from visiting a factory at Bukit Ibam in Muadzam Shah.

"He is working like usual,” the aide was quoted saying, referring to Khairuddin.

This is despite an anonymous source, said to be highly-placed, telling Malaysiakini that Khairuddin has been placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The source said this decision had been relayed to the Cabinet last week.

On his Facebook page, Khairuddin posted that he was on a working visit to the Bukit Ibam Malaysian Rubber Board plantation in Rompin, Pahang, just yesterday.

Prior to that, the Kuala Nerus MP visited Terengganu assemblywomen in Wisma Darul Iman in Kuala Terengganu.

Khairuddin failed to observe a mandatory 14-day Covid-19 quarantine after returning from Turkey, which he claimed was a "semi-official trip”, by attending Parliament just days upon arrival.

The police have since said that the investigation against Khairuddin has been completed and the investigation papers are now with the Attorney General’s Chambers.