Hotels have to ensure SOP compliance at events, says minister

 

Videos and photos of the local celebrity Neelofa’s wedding at a hotel have gone viral, leading to complaints of SOP breaches. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: Hotels are responsible for ensuring they have staff monitoring possible Covid-19 SOP breaches during events organised at their venues, senior minister for security Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.

Asked to comment on viral clips of cases of public events such as weddings not complying with Covid-19 SOPs, Ismail said hotel staff or Rela members were responsible for monitoring SOP compliance if such events were held in hotels.

“Our conditions for allowing public events are that there must be people monitoring (SOP compliance),” he said when asked whether the National Security Council or the task force to monitor SOP compliance would station members at public events hosted at hotels.

“In hotels, the hotel workers have to do this – or they can bring in Rela members,” he added during a press conference.

While Ismail did not mention names, videos and photos of the wedding of local celebrity Neelofa at a leading hotel in the capital recently went viral. It showed guests not complying with SOPs such as physical distancing and failing to wear face masks.

Dang Wangi district police chief Mohamad Zainal Abdullah said an investigation paper had been opened into the alleged breaches and the hotel’s owners and the event’s organisers would be called in for questioning. - FMT