Cops probing incident involving Annuar

KUALA LUMPUR: Police are investigating an incident where Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa was photographed being seated at a table with six other people during an event in Cheras.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Comm Datuk Saiful Azly Kamaruddin said an investigation paper has been opened on the incident.

“We will record the statement of the minister soon as part of our investigation.

“A police report on the matter was lodged in Cheras, ” he said yesterday.

Under the current movement control order, only two people are allowed per table at any restaurant or food premises.

Annuar had attended an event recently, where the photograph of the group allegedly eating together at one table was taken.

In pictures which have since gone viral, Annuar is seen seated at the end of the table while others, believed to be members of a club called Kelab Pencinta Alam Kolam Takungan Banjir Sungai Midah are seated at the side of the table.

Annuar said on his Facebook post that he had only sat for a short time with the organisers on Saturday and decided to get up because he saw that the standard operating procedures (SOPs) were not followed.

“I only sat a while and moved because they did not follow SOP. I did not mean to offend the host and I apologise if anyone felt hurt by my action, ” he said.

Club president Mohd Zainuddin Amran said the club accepted the blame for their lapse in judgement in hosting the minister.

He said club members had earlier adhered to the SOP during Annuar’s visit and attendees were instructed to register their details beforehand.

“However, later in the day when it got very hot, we invited the minister to sit and have a drink with us. He reminded us to maintain our physical distance.

“We do apologise for what had happened and we accept this as our ‘weakness’, ” he said.

Meanwhile, Umno supreme council member Datuk Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi called on Annuar to “own up to his mistakes instead of constantly giving excuses for them”.

“The SOP only allows two people to a table. Annuar said he only sat with the group for a little while before heading off because the event organisers did not follow the SOP.

“If you know they weren’t following the SOP, why did you still sit with them? Where’s the logic in that, ” Puad said on his Facebook yesterday.