We see citizens being issued hefty compounds on the spot for flouting Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), while celebrities or VIPs get a chance to be investigated first for weeks until they are determined guilty or not.
Will this unjust treatment ever end?
No more double standards
According to Bernama, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has urged the police to immediately issue a compound to any individual, including celebrities and politicians, who are found to be violating SOPs during the Movement Control Order (MCO).
The move was to dispel misunderstanding among the people that the government seemed to give special treatment to the group.
The minister noted that there were a lot of issues surrounding how authorities treated the ‘golongan kayangan’ as compared to normal citizens.
"We are of the view that the police should issue a compound immediately to anyone found violating the SOP especially those involving VIPs such as celebrities and politicians,” he said.
The Bera MP also added that there was no need to wait for weeks to get a decision from the Attorney General's Chambers because the police were allowed to issue compound on the field as provided by the Act.
Well, we’ll see if it’s true since Hari Raya is happening real soon.
Minister of International Trade and Industry, Azmin Ali, on the other hand, landed in hot water recently after he did not self-quarantine upon returning from the Middle East. You can read about it here.
The Middle East is listed as one of the countries with a dangerous COVID-19 variant, so for the Minister to not self quarantine after coming back from a trip is truly a shock to the system.
It will be interesting to see what the authorities decide to do with the Minister's case.