KUALA LUMPUR, August 24 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) has closed the case on Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Khairuddin Aman Razali’s breach of his 14-day home quarantine.
Bernama reported Health Minister Dr Adham Baba as saying yesterday that the issue of MOH’s RM1,000 compound on Khairuddin “has been resolved”, citing Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah who tweeted yesterday that the maximum compound under Act 342 was RM1,000 for people who violate their home surveillance order.
“We look at various angles. It is the maximum compound of RM1,000 under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act (Act 342),” Dr Adham was quoted saying at the Social Security Organisation’s Prihatin programme in Kulai, Johor yesterday.
“If anyone wishes to bring on other charges, then it is up to them,” he added.
Act 342 empowers the Health director-general to compound offences to a maximum of RM1,000. Other Malaysians have previously been charged in court for breaching home quarantine rules under Act 342 and were sentenced to jail, or even fined thousands of ringgit for each location visited while under quarantine.
Khairuddin had gone for a trip to Turkey with an entourage, but failed to observe a mandatory 14-day home quarantine after returning to Malaysia on July 7. Seputeh MP Teresa Kok claimed on August 20 that Khairuddin had attended at least a dozen programmes and meetings upon returning from Turkey, including going to Parliament from July 13 to 16.
MOH claimed yesterday that it issued Khairuddin an RM1,000 compound on August 7 for breaching rules under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act, and that the PAS minister has settled the fine. Khairuddin yesterday apologised and said he would donate four months’ salary to MOH’s Covid-19 fund.
Deputy Health Minister Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali told the Dewan Rakyat during Question Time today that the King and Prime Minister had also followed home surveillance orders, so those who go against the rules should be fined.
Khairuddin will lose his Kuala Nerus parliamentary seat if he is fined more than RM2,000. Police have opened investigations against Khairuddin for flouting home quarantine rules.
