Over 2,200 compounds were issued against individuals between July 21 and July 25 - according to statements by Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
But with Putrajaya yesterday claiming that emergency ordinances were revoked effective July 21, the question that arises is how many of those compounds were valid.
Compounds for violating Covid-19 SOPs are enforced under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act or Act 342 - which is not an emergency law.
However, an emergency ordinance was enacted to raise the maximum penalty under Act 342 from RM1,000 to RM10,000 for individuals and RM50,000 for corporate bodies.
If emergency ordinances have indeed been revoked, then any compounds issued from July 21 onwards cannot exceed RM1,000.
Ismail Sabri's regular statements on lockdown measures do not state the total value of compounds issued for a single day.
It is also not clear how many corporate bodies were compounded since July 21.
According to Harian Metro, 50 individuals were compounded RM5,000 each for Act 342 offences at an entertainment centre in Kota Kinabalu last night.
The centre's operator was given a RM25,000 compound.
Meanwhile, 25 Bangladeshi nationals in Penang were fined RM5,000 each on July 23 for flouting SOPs over a Hari Raya Aidiladha gathering.
These exceed the pre-emergency ordinance RM1,000 limit for compounds under Act 342.
However, it is not just the validity of compounds that come into question. Whether or not the revocation of the ordinances is also valid, is also questionable.
This is as no gazette has been published yet as of writing, to annul the ordinances. Likewise, Parliament has not revoked the emergency laws either.
Lawyer New Sin Yew told Malaysiakini briefly that the government cannot publish a backdated gazette to revoke ordinances. - Mkini
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