Puad: Khairuddin should know his moral responsibility over quarantine

COVID-19 | Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Khairuddin Aman Razali should be aware of his obligation to undergo home quarantine after returning from abroad, said Umno supreme council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi.

"Morally, as a minister, Khairuddin should be more aware of his responsibility to undergo quarantine. Has it ever crossed his mind?" he asked in a Facebook post today.

Puad (above) said others who returned from Sabah prior to Sept 27 had taken their own initiatives to quarantine themselves and some of them even forked out their own money to conduct a swab test.

"Not only that, some even went for the test twice. The people must be disappointed that Khairuddin was not charged for flouting the movement control order (MCO)," he said. 

"There are two reasons why the decision (on not pressing charges against the minister) was being questioned. Firstly, why it took so long to probe and decide. It was as though the authorities were buying time to find a reason (to free him).

"Secondly, the government does not seem to be firm. The Health Ministry officer who allegedly did not issue Form 14B to Khairuddin was being made a 'scapegoat'," Puad added.

Form 14B is the home surveillance order issued by the health officer under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease Act 1988.

"Now the government is being accused of 'selective firmness'. The people are disappointed," he said.

It was reported that the Attorney-General's Chambers decided not to charge Khairuddin (photo) for flouting the compulsory quarantine order as the minister was not given Form 14B.

He was probed for violating the quarantine order after returning from a semi-official work trip to Turkey in July.

In August, the Health Ministry slapped an RM1,000 fine on the Kuala Nerus MP.

After being fined, the minister had come forward to apologise and pledged to contribute three months of his salary starting March to the Covid-19 fund.

The government's failure to take action against him sparked criticism from various quarters who accused the government of practising double standards. - Mkini