We’ve been battling the COVID-19 pandemic together for almost a year now so basic Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are second nature to us Malaysians.

Wearing a facemask correctly, practising social distancing, washing or sanitising hands frequently, and checking in MySejahtera wherever we go are some of the things we do on a daily basis.

However, on Wednesday a video of a group of law enforcers conducting checks at a supermarket or convenient store went viral after a policeman said wearing gloves were a breach of the SOPs.

No gloves, get RM1,000 fine


The policeman was seen telling off a woman for not wearing gloves and asked her to wear a pair immediately.

He then issued a RM1,000 compound to the woman for “not wearing gloves, not checking temperatures.”

Netizens were left in a state of confusion and were fuming as to when wearing gloves were compulsory.

Some were upset that the same treatment wasn't given to ministers and politicians who clearly breached plenty of SOPs.

Senior Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob also replied to the viral video and said that there were no SOPs on wearing gloves.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has rubbished claims that wearing gloves would help prevent COVID-19 infection.

“You can still pick up COVID-19 contamination on rubber gloves. If you then touch your face, the contamination goes from glove to your face and can infect you.”

Bare hands > rubber gloves.
WHO also urged people to regularly wash their bare hands, which offer more protection then wearing rubber gloves.

Perhaps our Senior Minister should also mention this in his upcoming daily press conference in other to clear the confusion.