THE Perikatan Nasional (PN) Government’s aspiration to offer Malaysians a ‘new deal’ has gotten off to a bad start, it seems.
This is following the decision to raise the compound fine for violating COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) to RM10,000 from RM1,000, which has drawn outrage from opposition lawmakers and members of the public alike.
PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin previously announced that the PN Government is offering a new deal to the rakyat and has reiterated the Government’s commitment to administering the country with integrity for the sake of safeguarding the well-being and welfare of all the people.
Furthermore, the PN Government, according to Muhyiddin, has made ‘Prihatin Rakyat’ (Caring for the People) its main guiding principle in championing the fate and prioritising the welfare of the people.
This begs the question: how does the introduction of a stiffer penalty for breaching COVID-19 SOPs align with the Government’s vow to prioritise the rakyat’s welfare?
As it is, people are already struggling to make ends meet due to the economic downturn, and many others have received pay cuts or are out of jobs.
Shouldn’t more effort be put into helping them overcome the hardships that arise from the pandemic instead of expecting them to pay such a hefty fine?
To make things worse, the decision to increase the fine comes at a time when most people are still confused over the SOPs due to the Government’s flip-flopping policies.
As such, fining those who are having a hard time keeping pace with the changes in regulation is unjust, and rather ridiculous.
Rather than trying to make the rakyat go bankrupt, the Government should show greater compassion and prioritise the people’s welfare.
In lieu of harsh penalties, why not consider smaller fines, or letting people off with a verbal warning? Community service, too, can work wonders to further deterring people from committing offences.
After all, the purpose of fines and summons is to educate people and not to suppress or bully them.
Of course, the law is the law, and at the end of the day, wrong is wrong, but to the rakyat, sometimes a little bit of compassion can go a long way. This is especially when PN hopes to be the main choice of the people in the next general elections. – March 15, 2021
