Netizens Claim Malaysia’s Enforcement Of Mandatory Mask Rule Has Double Standards
Netizens argued why a teenager was fined RM1,000.
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Malaysians are calling out double standards on authorities’ enforcement of the nationwide mandatory face mask rule in public spaces.
A short snippet from TV3’s Buletin Utama news segment had gone viral on social media.
The one-minute-ish video details law enforcement activities at Rawang’s KTM railway station where police officers were apparently issuing compounds to people who neglect the mandatory mask rule.
The segment describes how a teenager, believed to be a student, was among the five people that received RM1,000 saman for not following the rules during inspections at the station.
Xleh.. pic.twitter.com/r6D9I1rEzF
— Ihsan Complicated (@abamihsan) August 8, 2020
News of charges against the youth has Malaysians outraged at the government’s execution of the mandatory mask rule.
Social media users came to question the authorities’ decision to issue a fine to the boy instead of letting him off with a warning.
Sometimes kan you lot forgot to be human.
— Ulya Husamudin (@ulyahusamudin) August 8, 2020
Its not like he isnt wearing a mask at all.
Go talk to him, remind him lah, give him a warning
At this current situation, 1000 is a lot, especially for students. You have no idea how this will effect him financially this month. https://t.co/Xng6VCAlar
Other commenters also criticize how authorities were apparently not providing the same level of treatment to supposed members of the country’s elite.
Besides sharing images of some of the country’s public figures which they claimed had violated Covid-19 guidelines, netizens also argued that there were supposedly two sets of rules governing the nation that’s determined by one’s “social class”.
Dh tanda merah spe yg tk pkai mask btul @ tk pkai mask. Pihak bkuasa TOLONG ambil tindkn saman mrk² ni. JGN DOUBLE STANDARD. Bdk kt KTM tu lju je Polis smn. SOP KKM PERLU PKAI MASK D TMPT AWAM YG SESAK. Yg ni dh ckup sesak aku rse. JGN PNDAI WAT SOP TPI MENTERI SDRI LANGGR SOP pic.twitter.com/vc8d3B7paF
— Rafif_YG BENAR (@MokhzaniMokhta2) August 9, 2020
Dear @PDRMsia @KKMPutrajaya @MuhyiddinYassin @DGHisham WE want ALL MENTERI in this photos dikenakan SAMAN sama seperti kami rakyat marhaen hadapi. Jangan buat tak nampak, gambaq ada, tarikh ada. Tag nama pon dah siap mention. PI SAMAN LEKAIHHH!! pic.twitter.com/dBKbroUT8f
— nontoxic (@nurfaamk) August 8, 2020
Steadylah polis. Yang kat tempat tak sesak macam ni, yang miskin, kau pergi saman. Orang kaya kau buat tak nampak. Steady! https://t.co/1CLhHNNSOq
— Chairman GLC (@aizadfahmy) August 8, 2020
Starting August, Malaysians risk being slapped with a RM1,000 fine for not wearing face masks in crowded public areas, under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.
Following some public confusion regarding the particulars of the mandatory mask rule, the government has provided a list of places where the wearing of masks is compulsory which you can check out, HERE.
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