KUALA LUMPUR, August 25 — Legal prosecution for breaking quarantine rules or flouting Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) first requires police investigations, Ismail Sabri Yaakob explained today.
The senior defence minister said the Ministry of Health (MOH) has the power to compound offences under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) to a maximum of RM1,000.
“Of course I have said that everyone who is quarantined must follow SOP and if they do not, they will be hauled to court, but facing court action is in terms of procedure, not that people can be taken to court immediately,” Ismail Sabri told a press conference.
A reporter had asked if Ismail Sabri’s previous announcement — which said people who flout SOPs would be charged in court immediately instead of getting compounds — also applied to political leaders.
“MOH has the power to issue a maximum compound of RM1,000. I have previously suggested increasing the compound to RM10,000, but we must amend Act 342 first before raising the compound.
“If it is brought to court, the case must first be investigated by the police. The police must open investigation papers. Investigation papers must be sent to the Attorney-General’s Chambers, which will then decide if it is to be prosecuted in court, NFA (no further action), or release,” he added.
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, unlike Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Khairuddin Aman Razali who merely received an RM1,000 compound for breaching home quarantine rules upon returning from Turkey last month.
Ismail Sabri also claimed ignorance about whether Khairuddin had brought along companions on his trip to Turkey, when asked if the PAS minister’s travelling companions were similarly compounded for breaking mandatory home quarantine like him upon returning to Malaysia.
“I only know about the minister; I don’t know who followed him,” Ismail Sabri said.
Ismail Sabri cited Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement yesterday that the government would leave it to the authorities to pursue investigations against Khairuddin.
“We’ll leave it to the police to investigate,” said the senior defence minister.
Khairuddin has triggered public uproar for flouting his mandatory 14-day home quarantine after returning to Malaysia on July 7 from a trip to Turkey last month, an issue first highlighted by Seputeh MP Teresa Kok in Parliament.
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. She also alleged that Khairuddin was accompanied by his family and unnamed government officials on his Turkey trip.
MOH claimed Sunday 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.
The MOH statement did not specify if Khairuddin’s travel companions had similarly broken home quarantine or if health officials had given Khairuddin a pink tag like other ordinary citizens ordered to undergo home quarantine, simply saying that the minister tested negative for Covid-19 three times.
Khairuddin has apologised and said he would donate four months’ salary to MOH’s Covid-19 fund.
