PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has stressed his belief that the furore surrounding the case involving Industry, Plantation and Commodities Minister Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali is not warranted because the latter did not cause any Covid-19 outbreak cluster.
"He has paid a maximum compound of RM1,000, he has no cluster. He has made a swab test, and his mistake has already been paid for," Tuan Ibrahim told the media after the presentation of special donations and Covid-19 kits to schools in Kota Bharu today.
Tuan Ibrahim, who is also Kubang Kerian MP, said this when asked to comment on whether the party had prior knowledge of Khairuddin's departure to Turkey.
Earlier, Khairuddin was compounded RM1,000 for failing to undergo self-quarantine after returning from Turkey on July 7.
The Kuala Nerus MP also apologised to all Malaysians and donated his salary from May to August to the National Disaster Relief Fund.
Tuan Ibrahim said his party colleague has made a sacrifice by returning his salary.
"The reality is that there is no cluster surrounding him. The important thing is that he is fined and he has sacrificed all his salaries. It should not be an issue anymore.
"We should focus on the (existing) Covid-19 clusters," said Tuan Ibrahim who is also the environment and water minister.
His dismissal of Khairuddin's actions is in sharp contrast to Umno supreme council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi who blasted Khairuddin over the quarantine violation and called for legal action.
An online petition for Khairuddin to resign from his post for bypassing his quarantine after his trip to Turkey from July 3-7 now has more than 30,000 signatories.
Yesterday, Health Ministry director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said that Khairuddin is still being investigated by police.
Meanwhile, lawyers opined that Khairuddin can still be charged in court despite having reportedly paid a RM1,000 compound for breaching mandatory quarantine requirements.
In a tweet, Noor Hisham said RM1,000 was the maximum fine for breaching home quarantine.
"Nonetheless, police are still carrying out investigations following police reports," he added.
Khairuddin was supposed to have undergone home quarantine after returning from Turkey on July 7 but was spotted at several events including having attended Parliament on July 13.
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok has questioned the validity of the RM1,000 compound and asked if it was backdated to avoid Khairuddin being dragged to court for the offence.
Meanwhile, lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdulla questioned whether Khairuddin was not charged to avoid him from being disqualified as the Kuala Nerus MP.
This would be a decisive factor given that the PN government has a very slim majority in Parliament of just two MPs.
On Aug 13, Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said those who flouted their quarantine would be brought straight to court instead of being issued a compound. - Mkini
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