PUTRAJAYA: Compounds under the Emergency (Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 have to be issued according to the guidelines set by the government.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said based on these guidelines, licence holders or premises owners who fail to follow rules related to operating hours for their businesses come under the third category offence which caries a maximum compoundable rate of RM10,000.
“Offenders are also entitled to get a 50 per cent reduction if they pay the sum within seven days or 25 per cent if they manage to settle it within 14 days,” said the de facto Law Minister in a statement today.
“All these compounds are meant to serve as a detterrent to offenders whether they are individuals or business owners so that everyone can together claim responsibility in the fight against Covid-19.”
A burger seller in Kota Baru was compounded RM50,000 by the police for flouting the Movement Control Order (MCO) Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) by operating beyond the 10pm restriction on Sunday.
The police went to Wan Mohd Faisal Wan Kadir’s stall which was set up in front of his home at 11.30pm and issued him the compound.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Shafien Mamat reportedly said this was not the burger seller’s first offence.
He also said that the trader was not the first person from Kelantan who was slapped with the maximum compound rate for flouting the SOP during the MCO.
Shafien was referring to remarks by the 38-year-old and the public over the compound after the incident became viral. It is also understood that the maximum compound rate is reserved for corporation for severe breaches of SOP which could result in major outbreaks.
Wan Mohd Faisal claimed that there were no customers around when a group of policemen arrived, adding that since the MCO came into effect, he had only accepted orders for takeaways.
“We won’t allow customers to dine in as we do not want to breach the SOP. So I was shocked. And the fine issued was too high. RM50,000 is unreasonable,” he reportedly said.-NST