Rm10k Fine Pn Govt Detached From People S Hardship Kit Siang

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The Perikatan Nasional (PN) government's refusal to suspend the RM10,000 fine for movement control order (MCO) violations until its implementation problems are resolved shows that it is oblivious to the people's hardship, Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang said.
"This is an indication of how far the government of the day has deviated from its people-centric principles, utterly unmoved by the hardships it imposed on the people by forcing them to go through the hassle and trouble of going to district health offices to appeal against the RM10,000 compound fines, especially when there are no guidelines as to how such an appeal could be made," he said in a statement today.
The RM10,000 fine was intended for repeat offenders but police say they are legally required to impose the maximum fine on everyone under the Emergency (Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021.
Non-repeat offenders are then required to appeal to their district health office for a reduction of the fine but there are complaints that no appeal mechanism was in place, leading to confusion in implementation.
Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had said the government won't walk back on the RM10,000 fine policy but the cabinet is expected to discuss today on how to resolve the implementation problem.

Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob
Lim said he was shocked by Ismail's position. Yesterday, Lim had proposed a suspension of the hefty fines.
"We will know after the cabinet meeting today whether there is a single minister of the record-huge cabinet who would take up the cudgel on behalf of the sufferings of the people and whether there are ministers who are prepared to resign from the cabinet at such harsh, disproportionate, unconscionable and ill-considered emergency legislation," he added.
The increased fine was not approved by Parliament but instead introduced through emergency powers.
The government has also used the state of emergency, which came into force on Jan 11, to give itself sweeping powers against what it claims is "fake news".
Putrajaya said the emergency is intended to combat the Covid-19 pandemic but critics accused the government of using the emergency as a means of clinging on to power.
The government has warned that such allegations could be considered "fake news" and Harapan leaders who made the accusation are being investigated by police.
On the flip side, Lim noted there was good progress in bringing the Covid-19 pandemic under control, with 1,063 new cases recorded yesterday, the lowest for this year.
"But I just cannot understand the reasons for the enactment of harsh, disproportionate, unconscionable and ill-considered emergency ordinances to combat the Covid-19 pandemic," he added. - Mkini

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