KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 — Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan clarified today that the maximum fine for business operators exceeding their permissible opening hours was RM10,000.

The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department explained that while the government used an Emergency Ordinance to raise the Prevention and Infectious Diseases Control Act's penalty rates, these were still subject to guidelines that were subsequently issued.

"According to the guidelines, the actions of a licensee and the owner of the premise who fails to comply with the operating hours of the premise is a category 3 offence punishable by a maximum compound of RM10,000.00.

"Offenders are given a 50 per cent reduction if they pay off the compound notice within seven days and 25 per cent if paid within a period of 14 days,” he said in a statement.

He added that compound notices issued under the law were strictly intended to prevent the risk of Covid-19 infections and be a deterrent to both individuals and business operators.

Takiyuddin noted that Malaysia’s Covid-19 situation remained at a critical level.

Yesterday, controversy emerged after the police issued a burger seller in Kota Baru, Kelantan a compound notice for RM50,000 allegedly for operating beyond the allowable opening hours in the state.

News of this triggered outrage and condemnation of what critics dubbed an excessive fine.

Takiyuddin is the MP for Kota Baru.

Bernama reported Kota Baru district police chief ACP Abdul Rahim Daud as saying the burger seller also violated the standard operating procedures (SOP) by setting up tables for customers and failing to provide a body temperature scanner.

"Due to the offences, we issued the maximum compound of RM50,000. However, he can appeal to the Health Ministry for a reduction,” he said as reported by Bernama.

Earlier, the burger seller claimed in a social media posting that went viral that he was slapped with the maximum penalty of RM50,000 for operating the burger stall in front of his house at around 11pm.

The 38-year-old burger seller, Wan Mohd Faisal Wan Kadir, told Bernama that the incident happened at about 11.10pm on Sunday and there were no customers at the stall when several policemen approached him.

"I have folded the tables but haven’t closed the stall as I was preparing orders for factory workers,” he said, adding that he had been slapped with a RM1,000 compound previously for the same offence.

"I hope the authorities can reduce the amount because I cannot afford to pay as I only sell burgers,” he added.