Matriculation students allegedly slapped with RM1,500 fines, Health DG says investigation ongoing

IPOH: The Health Ministry has launched an investigation into allegations that state Health Department officers issued RM1,500 fines to matriculation students for breaching Covid-19 SOPs.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (pic) said the Perak Health Department is looking into the matter.

"Thanks for the complaint made to the Health Ministry.

"Actions will be taken immediately," he said in reply to Twitter user @NabilAmirul4, who shared a picture of the incident on Monday (April 19).

According to @NabilAmirul4, the students have been confined to their colleges for an entire semester due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The incident is believed to have occurred at the Perak Matriculation College in Gopeng.

The post has been retweeted about 30,000 times.

There was also plenty of furore on Twitter, with many users deeming the incident unfair.

User @ainurjannxh said students have been quarantined in their respective colleges for almost five months without contact with the outside world and the RM1,500 compound have to be settled within two weeks.

"Tahniah @KKMPutrajaya !!! Kes Neelofa tak settle, menteri sendiri pun kesana sini." "(Congratulations Health Ministry, Neelofa's case has not been settled, ministers are travelling here and there."

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman also took to the social media platform to voice his dissatisfaction with the incident.

"If it's a student, there's no need to open an investigation paper. Just fine.

"We have voiced out many times on double standards in implementation. What's wrong with giving a warning first before compounding? Is that difficult?" he asked.