Another day another double standard?
One week ago, Malaysians were outraged when a few students from the Perak Matriculation college were fined RM1,500 each for allegedly violating SOPs. They were angry that the KKM authorities refused to investigate the issue before issuing compounds to the students who clearly could not afford the fine.
Barely a week after this incident, a burger seller from Kelantan lamented on Facebook after getting fined RM50K when he was finishing a customer’s order at the stall right in front of his house around 11pm. Kelantan is currently still under the Movement Control Order due to an exponential rise in the number of positive Covid-19 cases.
Wah Mohd Faisal told BERNAMA that at the time of the incident, all the dining tables in his shop had been kept because there were no more customers, but he had not closed his shop because he was preparing orders.
Kota Bharu District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Abdul Rahim Daud, confirmed that the vendor was given an RM50,000 compound notice after he was found to be operating beyond the stipulated time during the MCO period, which was up to 10pm.
Twitter users were enraged over the double standards especially after the latest verdict of celebrity businesswoman, Neelofa, being fined a total of RM60,000 in total, including offences by her husband and family. Many pointed out that the amount was only RM10,000 higher than what the burger seller had to endure.
“We really need to find a way to issue compounds that are proportional to income. What is 10K to a millionaire, what is 50K to a burger seller?”
“He just sold burgers where the possible risk of Covid-19 spread is lesser than the wedding. RM50k is ridiculous. Even New Zealand here does not impose a fine that much.”
“Neelofa & her privileged family being fined a total of only RM60,000 while the working class are individually punished to pay RM50,000 simply for wanting to earn a living in order to survive during this pandemic is not justice!”
When asked about this issue, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said the compound imposed under the act must be based on the guidelines set by the government, reported Astro Awani.
However, he added that amendments were made to increase the rate of a compound that can be imposed on an offence for causing the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
Did the burger vendor deserve this fine? Let us know in the comments section!
Also read: “How is this fair?” Perak Matriculation Students Get Fined RM1.5K Each For Violating SOPs
