KUCHING, Aug 19: Appeals with regards to compounds issued by the police to business operators who violate Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) must be made to the Health Ministry instead of the police.
This was what Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Youth secretary Milton Foo found out after a meeting with Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Aidi Ismail at the latter’s office at Sarawak Police Headquarters at Jalan Baharuddin yesterday.
“SOP at eateries and coffee shops is our main topic for discussion today as I received a lot of feedback from the public and shop owners/operators on their queries on the clear guidelines or SOP exercised by the police.
“Table with seating of at least one metre social distancing, proper record of particulars of customers at the food premises, provision of hand sanitisers and temperature check at the entrance etc are mandatorily required.
“I was further told by Datuk CP that the compound was indeed issued by the police on behalf of Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia (Health Ministry) and any appeal may be made to [the ministry] rather than to the police who only acts as the agent in enforcing the law to ensure compliance with the law by the public,” Foo revealed via a post on his social media page.
During the visit, he appealed to the police not to penalise first-time offenders of “innocent” operators.
“I also appealed to the police to give advice or warning to the first-time offender of ‘innocent’ operator who may not be clear on the SOP but to issue compound to those who intentionally or repeatedly refuse to follow or abide to the SOP as advised by the police or the enforcement team,” Foo added. — DayakDaily
