IPOH, July 23 — The aide of Batu Pahat MP Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon has today denied that the latter allegedly violated Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP) while having a supper after a ritual slaughter ceremony for Aidiladha.

His personal secretary Mohd Zaihan Mohd Zainal claimed the Deputy Dewan Rakyat Speaker was merely dining with his wife Datin Azizah Haron and youngest daughter at a homestay.

"He was dining together with his family while waiting for the cow sacrificial slaughter session to complete.

"His sacrificial slaughter was scheduled at 3am and that is a reason why he booked a homestay near the slaughter centre. The picture of the dining was taken at the homestay.

"So, there is no issue of SOP violation,” he said in a statement.

He said that a 24-hour sacrificial ceremony was held at a slaughterhouse in Rengit, Batu Pahat, and had followed the SOPs set by the Johor government.

He also stressed that the location of the event was within Mohd Rashid’s Parliamentary constituency.

"Apart from donating the cow, Mohd Rashid also performed the sacrificial slaughter by himself,” he said.

He also slammed a Facebook page for allegedly circulating the photo. The photo, originally taken by an attendee of the ceremony and posted on his Facebook profile, has since been deleted.

Last month, police were already investigating Mohd Rashid for attending a durian feast during lockdown, which would be in violation of the Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP).

Pictures and a 14-second video of a durian feast in an orchard showing Rashid among a large group of people dining on the thorny fruit have been widely shared on social media since yesterday. The orchard was said to be in Batu Pahat.