2 Barbers Fined RM10,000 Each For Not Wearing Gloves And Aprons During Inspection
As of 13 March, a total of 546 RM10,000 compounds have been issued by police.
By Sadho Ram — 14 Mar 2021, 05:45 PM
Two barbers were issued with RM10,000 compound each for violating standard operating procedures (SOPs) on Saturday, 13 March
Both did not use disposable gloves and aprons during an inspection at their premises during an operation in Bandar Baru Sibu Jaya in Sibu, Sarawak, according to a report in Bernama.
Wearing new, disposable gloves is one of the several requirements for barbers under the Movement Control Order (MCO) SOPs
During the first week of February, Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had announced that operators must wear face shields while working, wear a fresh apron and a new glove for every customer, and sanitise their scissors and combs with hot water in between each customer.
Of the two barbers who were slapped with RM20,000 compound in total, one is a 67-year-old woman and the other a 32-year-old man
They were fined in accordance with the Emergency (Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 which came into force on 11 March.
In a press statement Thursday, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said the value of the compound for violating the MCO SOPs has been increased from RM1,000 to RM10,000.
IGP Abdul Hamid assured that the RM10,000 fine will only be enforced on repeat and stubborn offenders and not be used as a blanket penalty against the general public.
According to him, the decision to increase the value of the compound to RM10,000 was not to punish the public excessively or allow the government to collect money from them.
Two others were also fined in Sibu yesterday
A 23-year-old woman who did not wear a face mask and a 53-year-old man, who was the owner of a restaurant, and failed to supervise and control the customers' movements in and out of his shop.
As of 13 March, 546 people have been slapped with the RM10,000 fine
Of which, 330 were fined on the first day of the Emergency Ordinance coming into force.
Another 216 were fined on 12 March.
The IGP had shared that all fines for violating SOPs will show an amount of RM10,000 on the summons, as this is part of the police's duty to note the maximum compound offered for such offences
"The person issued with the fine will have two weeks to settle it, where the final amount will be decided by the district health officer at their respective district health offices," he told the press conference.
"So it is not a case of you automatically being required to pay RM10,000 once you receive the fine. These amounts are ultimately at the district health officer's discretion. The police are not out to punish anyone... We are just the messengers who enforce the law and issue the fine."
He also asked people to not worry about the RM10,000 fine, saying it's "better to worry about being infected with COVID-19" and that the compound is a "deterrent punishment".
