Ipoh police to probe claim of assistant cook being wrongly fined with RM10,000

IPOH: The Ipoh district police will investigate a claim that an assistant cook in Kampung Rapat here was wrongfully slapped with the RM10,000 fine for breaching the conditional movement control order.

Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm A. Asmadi Abdul Aziz said the Kampung Rapat police station officer had lodged a report on the matter after the claim went viral on social media.

ACP A. Asmadi said the police were made aware of the claim that was brought up by social activist Kuan Chee Heng on his Facebook account.

"The post was also shared on Datuk Seri Najib Razak's Facebook page, which has received public attention.

"Our checks so far found no such compound was issued by the district police's conditional MCO SOP team," he said.

"After getting the phone number of the said complainant from Kuan, we were also unable to contact the person to verify the claim," he added.

According to the post on Kuan's Facebook, it claimed that the assistant cook was fined after he was found to be smoking behind the eatery where he works.

It also claimed that the assistant cook's elderly mother was crying to Kuan as her son could no longer send money to her because he became indebted to the eatery for paying off the fine and had his wages cut.

ACP A. Asmadi said the police have always performed its duty in a fair and professional manner, especially when it is to control the spread of Covid-19.

"The people are advised to be alert and observe the SOP as set by the National Security Council to avoid facing legal actions.

"We also hope that any issues, disputes and feedback on legal actions by the police can be brought up via proper channels and not simply through social media without facts," he said.

"This is to prevent the spread of fake news which could cause anxiety to the people and affect public harmony," he added.