By Nur Ashikin Louis
KOTA SAMARAHAN, May 10: Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (MPKS) has now joined the other local councils in being empowered to fine and compound those who violate the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Its chairman Datuk Peter Minos said the power was given by the Ministry of Local Government and Housing (MLGH) under the Protection of Public Health Ordinance 1999.
“Since last Friday (May 7), 14 people in Samarahan had been fined and compounded and now the offenders are paying up a maximum of RM1,500 per transgression,” he said in a statement today.
Minos mentioned that those fined are the really difficult and recalcitrant ones where otherwise, warnings would have been sufficed.
“There are a few in society who cannot be fully or partly bothered about the SOPs and rules outlined by the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) and the Ministry of Health (MOH).
“A really difficult lot that only fines may work on them while words and warnings do not,” he added.
He further advised the members of the public to continue complying with the SOPs to ensure that Sarawak can win the battle against Covid-19.
He also said some people are too quick in hammering the SDMC and MOH on small slips, not knowing that both agencies have worked day and night in fighting the pandemic.
“Their burden is one that many of us do not relish to bear. So the least that we in the local councils can do is to do our small part,” he emphasised. — DayakDaily
