KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 — DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has accused the Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah today of double standards due to the lack of punishment against Cabinet members for breaching Covid-19 rules.
Among others, Lim asked if Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will be fined after he was seen not wearing a facemask while chairing a Johor Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional meeting at the Zenith Hotel in Putrajaya on March 31.
“Will Muhyiddin be penalised for failing to wear a facemask and violating the mandatory masking rule?” he asked in a statement.
The Bagan MP reminded that de facto law minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan had said violators could be slapped with an RM1,500 fine under a three-tier stem of punishments, with the maximum fine being RM10,000 and RM50,000 for companies.
“Social media had circulated a RM10,000 fine imposed on an ordinary citizen in Tanjung Piandang, Kerian district in Perak, for not wearing a mask properly.
“The Health Ministry too has not responded to that severe RM10,000 fine in this rural community.
“Will similar action and fine be imposed on Muhyiddin for failing to wear a facemask at all?” he asked.
He stressed that Muhyiddin should not only be fined but also apologise to all Malaysians for failing to lead by example.
“This will be a test as to whether the PN government is serious about Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP) compliance or is a government of double standards.
“Or will Muhyiddin be let off just like deputy communications and multimedia minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin, who failed to wear properly wear a facemask when attending the RTM 75th Anniversary celebrations yesterday?” said Lim.
He also questioned the non-action against ministers including International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Moohamed Azmin Ali, Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa, and Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamarudin for allegedly violating the movement control order restrictions.
“Or the plantation industries and commodities minister Datuk Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali being fined with a sweetheart deal of only RM1,000 without being charged in court, compared to a 72-year old Malay lady who was charged and fined RM8,000 and sentenced to a day’s jail for a similar offence.
“Or ministers being quarantined for only three days upon return from overseas compared to 10 days for ordinary citizens.
“Even Dr Noor Hisham is guilty of double-standard, by defending deputy minister Datuk Seri Edmund Santhara Kumar’s special treatment of being allowed home quarantine upon return from overseas, a privilege denied to ordinary citizens with more valid reasons,” he said.
Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had reportedly said that Santhara was allowed to undergo just home quarantine because he returned from a low-risk country, New Zealand, and his home was suitable for quarantine.
On March 25, Santhara had returned to Malaysia from his holiday in New Zealand and was currently serving his Covid-19 quarantine order.
Singapore Airlines pilot S. Mani Vannan however questioned this exemption when he who sought to be placed in home quarantine so he could care for his cancer-stricken mother, had his application rejected by the Health Ministry.
Mani Vannan added that he had sought exemption early last month after doing seven Covid-19 tests and having been vaccinated in Singapore.
