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Perak Matriculation Students Fined RM1,500 Each, Malaysians Annoyed At Double Standard Enforcement
.jpg?ext=.jpg "Perak Matriculation Students Fined RM1,500 Each, Malaysians Annoyed At Double Standard Enforcement")
Celebrities, politicians and the golongan kayangan have been getting away with breaching COVID-19 SOPs while the common man seems to be getting fined for every single thing.
That's the main idea most Malaysians have these days with many crying "double standards" when it comes to the matter.
The cry has grown louder and louder in the last few months and a recent incident has sparked the anger of Malaysians once again.
Unfair action
It all started when officials from the Perak State Health Department allegedly raided a cafeteria at a matriculation college there after receiving complaints of food poisoning.
According to a Tweet by @InjangNation, the authorities raided the cafetaria, ordered for it to be closed for two days and fined the cafe owners following the complaint.
They did not stop there though. While there, they noticed students not wearing their masks properly and started fining them RM1,500 each.
"We have not been home for close to five months. We have no contact with the outside world. Only the lecturers and college staff are allowed to go in and out of campus.
"Why is KKM coming in for a different case and suddenly students are getting targetted?" questioned an unnamed student via a WhatsApp screenshot which was shared on Twitter by @InjangNation.
— ?? (@InjangNation) April 19, 2021
The student added that those who were fined are not from well to do families and were already struggling to get by.
A RM1,500 fine is just adding to existing stresses.
The tweet has since gone viral with many taking the side of the students.
student matrikulasi perak kene kurung for the whole semester but end up kkm masuk cafe pergi kompaun RM1.5k dekat student... KEPALA HOTAK DIA @KKMPutrajaya kitorang punya elaun pun 6 bulan RM1250 jeh hanat... pic.twitter.com/XILpBnGQe2— Bel?? (@NabilAmirul4) April 19, 2021
matric perak ada kes keracunan makanan tak silap. KKM datang nak check cafe, sekali datang kutip duit raya sekali. paham letak mask kat dagu tu salah, tapi faham la sikit kami kelas dari 8 pagi - 6 petang dengan cuaca panas. bukak mask kejap je, auto 1.5k— niel (@saturnshah) April 19, 2021
boleh je tegur, dik pakai mask. tak pun hulur la sekeping mask untuk pelajar tu. nak tunjuk kuasa dekat siapa tu. ? innalillahiwainnailaihirajiun negaraku.— #KerajaanGagal (@shakleetributor) April 19, 2021
Aku tak faham la padahal kita dalam ni kena kurung sedangkan lecturer, pekerja semua boleh keluar masuk. Bila ada kes, salahkan pelajar? Hm aku penat betul. Sabarlah sikit lagi nak habis ?— ëlyn ?? (@abcdelynnn) April 19, 2021
Korang yang masuk rumah diorang tiber nak saman budak2 tu bukan boleh keluar pon hmm sian kawan2 adik aku pic.twitter.com/lYN4iWLYkn— ainnurzaimah (@AinnurZaimah) April 19, 2021
How come celebrities are getting away with it?
Another common point brought up by many is how immidiate fines are never imposed on celebrities or other VIPs.
Many brought up local entrepreneur Neelofa and her husband PU Riz who are still being investigated for breaching COVID-19 SOPs during their wedding last month.
Kes Neelofa buat majlis kahwin then honeymoon dengan alasan business kemain korang siasat naik turun kertas siasatan. Ni student yang kena kurung tak gi mana2 pulak korang auto saman. Bulan puasa pun nak aniaya golongan susah. Astaghfirullahalazim. ??♀️— penat (@RavenAii) April 19, 2021
Amboi. Neelofa kemain makan tahun tak kene saman lagi ye, student ko terus saman ye. Tanak bukak kertas siasatan dulu ke? pic.twitter.com/bPUtGzhu5f— jefferi (@jefferinurdin) April 19, 2021
Lofa kahwin:Tak kena, siasat sampai kiamatStudent yang kena kurung:Automatic RM1.5k— Cah ✨ (@ashhjsmn_) April 19, 2021
Lopa sampai hr ni dok siasat, mcm na hampa kena smn on the spot?.. @KKMPutrajaya sila beri penerangan.. adakah smn ini utk org biasa?. Apa istimewanya neelofa tu Sampai hr ni x hbs siasat lg?— エミュー (Emmu) (@SilverCrows1006) April 19, 2021
Investigations underway
Following the public outcry, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has since launched an investigation into the matter.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah even replied to the thread on the students being fined via Twitter.
Siasatan segera sedang dijalankan oleh Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri Perak. Terima kasih atas aduan ini kepada KKM dan perkara ini akan diambil tindakan secepat mungkin. InshaAllah— Noor Hisham Abdullah (@DGHisham) April 19, 2021
"Investigations are being done by the Perak State Health Department. Thank you for forwarding your complaint to the MOH. This will be looked into as soon as possible," he assured.
We truly hope that this matter will be sorted out soon.
No one, especially students deserve this sort of treatment.
Even if they were blatantly disregarding regulations, advise first la, warn first la.
Honestly, any kind of action including fines should be metted out as a last resort.
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