PUTRAJAYA: The controversial home quarantine saga involving a federal minister has served as a reminder for Health Ministry frontliners on the importance of adhering to standard operating procedures (SOPs), says Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
The Health director-general chose not to add more comments on the issue when asked about the episode involving Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali.
"Please refer to my response during the question-and-answer session with the media on Aug 25.
“I still stand by what I said. I was asked the same question. I already made my comment on the issue. So now the police have investigated and the Attorney General has issued a press statement.
“More importantly, (this issue) is for us, as the frontliners, to follow and comply with the SOPs when executing our services to the public.
“That’s the reminder to all of us when we provide our services to the public, ” said Dr Noor Hisham at the Health Ministry’s Covid-19 press conference here.
Earlier, the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) has decided that “No Further Action” (NFA) will be taken against Khairuddin for flouting the mandatory home quarantine rule.
The Kuala Nerus MP was on a “semi-official visit” to Turkey from July 3 to 7 but had not gone for the 14-day quarantine which is required for everyone returning from abroad.
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.
Addressing the press on the issue on Aug 25, Dr Noor Hisham said the top management of the Health Ministry had been “kept in the dark” over Khairuddin’s quarantine breach.
Dr Noor Hisham had said he and his deputies were not briefed on the issue by the ministry’s ground staff and learned about it through the media.
He added that the ministry will leave the matter to the police to be dealt with.
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