By Adrian Lim
KUALA LUMPUR, March 15: The RM10,000 fine for people who violated the standard operating procedures (SOPs) of Covid-19 is not final and only repeated offenders will be penalised with the maximum amount.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, during a press conference recently, clarified that offenders who violated the SOPs need not worry about the amount of fine as it is a deterrent to prevent them from committing the offence.
“Those who are stubborn and violate the law will be penalised with a high amount.
“We are just recommending to the Ministry of Health who are the offenders and those who challenge the law.
“It does not necessarily mean that the fine is RM10,000. Maybe in the past, it was RM1,000 and now increased to RM1,500,” he said.
Drawing some scenarios which occurred in some foreign countries, Abdul Hamid noted that there were individuals who purposely challenged the authority after being fined for violating the SOPs of Covid-19.
Thus, he explained that those offenders deserved to be compounded with a high amount.
In the meantime, Abdul Hamid explained that the final amount of fine is dependent on the judgement of Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah who is the officer responsible to penalise those who violated the SOPs of Covid-19.
Citing an example of an offender who did not put up a face mask in public and being fined, he said the offender can appeal to the Ministry of Health for the sum to be reduced.
Elaborating further, Abdul Hamid said the officer who imposes the fine can make reasonable judgement based on the background of the offender such as whether he is a labourer or a part-time worker.
“Maybe, based on reasonable judgement of the authority, the officer can fine the offender for just RM50 although the compound notice stated that it is RM10,000,” he added.
Abdul Hamid explained that policemen were not given the authority to impose the amount of fine but merely carrying out their duties to penalise those who violated the SOPs of Covid-19.
Abdul Hamid reiterated that the amount of fine is stated in the compound notice and was not up to the police to charge them.
Meanwhile, as of yesterday, a total of 102 Sarawakians across the state have been issued RM10,000 compounds for violating Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP).
According to Deputy Kuching OCPD Supt Ismail Mahmood, the police are not vested with the authority to reduce the penalty amount and all defaulters will have to settle the compound at the Health Department Office at either district or division level.
“We only follow the instruction when we issue the RM10,000 compound. Even though the compound may indicate RM10,000 as the penalty charge, it does not mean that the person must pay that amount.
“The person can go to the Health Office at district or divisional level to make payment. Depending on his situation, the Health Officer will decide how much the person will pay,” Ismail told DayakDaily. — DayakDaily
