Khairuddin gets off, no further action for breaking quarantine

KUALA LUMPUR: The Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) has decided that “No Further Action” (NFA) will be taken against Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali for flouting the mandatory home quarantine rule, say the police.

“We have been instructed to inform about the outcome of the case. The instructions are to NFA the case due to the fact that the minister was not handed the 14B form to undergo quarantine, ” said Bukit Aman CID director Comm Datuk Huzir Mohamed at a press conference at Bukit Aman on Wednesday (Oct 21).

He added that the decision was made as no “concrete statement” was given that could be used to charge the minister.

When asked if the Health Ministry did not issue the form to the minister, Comm Huzir said, “Yes”.

The police had submitted their investigation papers to the AGC last month, after having recorded the statements of more than 10 people in connection with the case.

Khairuddin’s violation of the mandatory 14-day quarantine came to light when it was raised in the Dewan Rakyat on Aug 18 by Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.

He had returned from what he described as a “semi-working trip” to that country, which included members of his family, on July 7.

After the issue was brought to light, the Health Ministry said it had slapped Khairuddin with a RM1,000 fine for breaching the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1998 (Act 342) on Aug 7.

Khairuddin said he would forgo his salary from May to August as an act of remorse for violating the 14-day quarantine ruling.

In a statement, where he apologised to all Malaysians, he said he would donate the money to the national Covid-19 fund under the Health Ministry.

However, many Malaysians still insisted he should resign, noting that members of the public found guilty of the same breach were jailed and slapped with heftier fines.