Neelofa and family fined RM60,000

PETALING JAYA: TV host and entrepreneur Neelofa has accepted the punishment against her and her husband over the Covid-19 violations “with an open heart”.

The celebrity, whose real name is Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor, 32, said that she has been informed of the compounds that were issued to her and her husband Muhammad Haris Mohd Ismail, 26.

“I accept it with an open heart and use it as a lesson to make sure that interstate approval is properly used.

“The fine serves as a warning to me and everyone involved during my wedding ceremony, that we all need to emphasise the importance of adhering to the SOP, ” she said in a statement yesterday.

Neelofa and her husband, also known as PU Riz, and their family members were issued with compounds amounting to RM60,000 for violating the Covid-19 SOP after the couple’s wedding event on March 27 revealed that guests were seated closely to one another without adhering to the physical distancing rule. Some were also seen without face masks.

The newlyweds were again criticised when they were accused of breaching movement restrictions for travelling to Langkawi while Kuala Lumpur and Selangor were under conditional movement control order.

Yesterday, Dang Wangi police chief ACP Mohamad Zainal Abdullah said the couple and their family members were issued compound notices under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease (Measures Within Infected Local Areas (No. 4) Regulations 2021.

Neelofa was slapped with a compound of RM20,000 for her wedding ceremony and breaching regulations on interstate travel.

Muhammad Haris was compounded RM10,000 for also violating regulations on interstate travel.

ACP Mohamad Zainal said 20 members of the couple’s family and relatives were also issued compounds of RM1,500 each for failing to observe physical distancing of at least one metre during the marriage solemnisation ceremony.

He added that the investigation papers on SOP violation at the couple’s wedding ceremony were returned by the Attorney-General’s Chambers on Monday with a decision to impose compound on those involved.

On April 4, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said that Neelofa and her husband would be called in to give their statements over viral pictures and videos of them spending time in Langkawi.

He said the images and footage uploaded on the couple’s social media platforms appeared to show breaches of the SOP.