SARIKEI, Mar 16: The implementation of RM10,000 penalty for violating Covid-19 preventive standard operating procedures (SOP) is too heavy a fine and an unrealistic measure to deal with the pandemic.
This is the view of Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party’s (Aspirasi) Repok potential candidate Wong Ching King.
In a press statement today, he urged the federal government to make sure the implementation of RM10,000 fine is fair where no double standard is involved.
“The public are worried that they could be the victims of the unfair fine. The fine RM10,000 is too heavy and unrealistic to deal with Covid-19,” said Wong.
Wong said in face of Covid-19, the people are already suffering and thus, it is “silly” of the federal government to add to the woes of people with unreasonable extreme fines of RM10,000.
“It is acceptable that the first time offender for not wearing mask would be deterred by a RM200 fine, additional offences can be progressively penalised, up to RM10,000,” he suggested.
He held that when the government’s efforts to check Covid-19 is flawed, the answer was not to punish the people to cover the shortcomings.
“It is ridiculous that no action is taken against politicians who shamelessly don’t follow mask-wearing and social distancing SOP. We don’t know whether we would be victimised by over-enthusiastic police, the public rather not go out to eat at all,” he said.
Without customers patronising eateries and restaurants, he said business operators will suffer. And when businesses are slow, the economy of the whole country will be adversely impacted.
“At a time when the rakyat need all the help from government they can, to boost confidence, morale and positivity to get through this trying time, it is sheer stupidity to come up with fines to punish the people,” said Wong. — DayakDaily
