‘DOUBLE STANDARDS’ seem to be a battle cry that’s all too common these days, especially now with the menace of the RM10,000 fine looming over the heads of average Malaysians.
Anyone closely following the events that have unfolded in the past few weeks would understand why this is a serious problem.
Amid calls for the compounds that have been issued so far to be cancelled and for the punishment to be rescinded, here’s a thought: maybe the RM10,000 fine can stay, but please, keep it for the politicians and ministers who breach the SOPs.
Why should the ministers be made to pay the same amount as ordinary Malaysians? They need to be taught a lesson that they are not above the law, and that there are repercussions to their actions. Furthermore, it’s not like they cannot afford it, anyway.
And speaking of repercussions, when will action ever be taken against the group of prominent individuals who crossed state borders to attend a wedding in Negeri Sembilan despite the interstate travel ban and Housing and Local Government minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin who attended a ‘fun ride’ cycling event despite difficulties with social distancing?
Meanwhile, the police said they have launched investigations into these alleged breaches of movement control order (MCO) regulations. However, they claimed that they are taking extra care when handling such cases involving politicians and ministers in order to avoid causing any misunderstanding as well as further problems later on.
For now, there is still no updates on both cases. Will these prominent individuals be slapped with a fine just like everybody else or is the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) going to decide that ‘No Further Action’ (NFA) will be taken against them?
While ministers can easily afford the RM10,000 penalties, average Malaysians may not even have RM1,000 in their savings account as many are already financially struggling with the ongoing economic crisis resulting from the pandemic.
If there’s anyone who needs that extra care and consideration, shouldn’t it be ordinary folks like you and me? – March 25, 2021
Photo credit: PDRM
