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PETALING JAYA: An MCA leader and a DAP member of parliament have ignored the government’s offer of discounts for those who have been aggravated by violating motion control order (MCO) regulations, saying it is confusing and shows “lack of thought”.
Earlier today, the de facto law minister, Takiyuddin Hassan, and the health minister, Dr. Adham Baba, announced that anyone who received a subpoena would get a 50% discount if payment was made within seven days. or a 25% discount if paid within 14 days.
MCA Juvenile Law Office Chairman Ryan Ho said that while he welcomed the effort made by the government to provide details on the list of maximum offenses and compounds, it was still confusing and unclear.
“This issue is not just about the number of fines, it is about clear guidelines and proper enforcement. As it is now, the IGP (Inspector General of Police) has come out and said that even its officers are confused. Without clear guidelines, we cannot blame the officers for using their discretion.
“For example, not wearing a mask carries a fine of 1,500 ringgit. What if a person wears a mask, but takes it off to drink a bottle of water while walking? Will that lead to a 1,500 ringgit fine? ” I ask.
Ho told the FMT that the compound should seek not only to deter, but also educate so that people follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) and not contribute to the spread of Covid-19.
“I understand the reasoning behind the high fines, but that it is only for the most serious SOP violations.
“For misdemeanors, a lower fine would be preferable,” he said, adding that law enforcement officers should take the active step of educating people rather than immediately issuing citations.
Takiyuddin said the government also decided to reduce the fine for anyone who does not wear a face mask or practice physical distancing, among other standard operating procedures, to RM 1,500 instead of the RM 10,000 maximum.
DAP Klang MP Charles Santiago said the entire implementation of the RM10,000 complex and discounts announced today reflect the government’s “lack of thought and understanding” of the current situation.
“No one can afford to pay the fine of RM10,000, even with the discounts. People are losing jobs here and there, but they are being fined so high, ”he told FMT.
Santiago added that the details on the RM10,000 compound should have been done earlier, not after it had been rolled out for several days.
Last month, the government announced the Emergency (Infectious Disease Prevention and Control) Ordinance (Amendment) 2021, which would increase the penalty for violating MCO regulations from RM1,000 to RM10,000 as of March 11.
