BARELY a week after Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin banned social gatherings leading to the Melaka state polls, a political party was seen holding a mass gathering to launch its election machinery.
And the party was none other than Khairy’s own: UMNO!
Taking to social media, netizens criticised UMNO and Barisan Nasional (BN) for holding a public gathering for its election machinery launch despite the ban, and the obvious double standard.
(Malaysian United Democratic Alliance held a press conference, adhering to standard operating procedure (SOP), only five attendees with masks on and social distancing practised yet were fined for RM4,000 within 10 minutes.
(But UMNO launches its election machinery in a big hall filled with crowd, no social distancing practised the whole day yet no action taken. The people or Melaka must teach this arrogant party a lesson).
Yesterday, Melaka Tengah district police chief ACP Afzanizar Ahmad confirmed that MUDA had been slapped with a fine claiming there no social distancing during a press conference.
However, Syed Saddiq shot back saying that there were only five people present at the media briefing, which was held in an open-air area with participants wearing face masks and practising social distancing.
As for the BN election machinery launching, it was attended by a huge crowd. While many of them were wearing face masks, the 22 seconds video posted shows the attendees flouting social distancing rules.
Melaka to become next Sabah!
Health news agency CodeBlue’s editor Boo Su Lyn said that it was important to maintain trust on the authorities’ impartiality during a public health crisis, adding the police should have dispersed the crowd at the launch.
User @kkyuuj added:
Meanwhile, netizen Conan4thepeople remarked:
In an update, the Health Ministry had slapped BN secretary general with a RM10,000 fine for flouting social distancing rules during the event held at the Putra World Trade Centre.
In a Facebook post, the ministry said the compound was issued by the Kepong Health Office under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, also known as Act 342. – Oct 28, 2021
