Cops record statement from Neelofa for allegedly failing to wear face mask in court

SEREMBAN: Police have recorded a statement from TV host-entrepreneur Neelofa on Monday (May 24) morning, following allegations that she failed to put on a face mask when she attended a hearing at a Magistrate’s Court here.

Seremban OCPD ACP Mohd Said Ibrahim said 32-year-old Neelofa, whose actual name is Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor, was accompanied by her husband Muhammad Haris Mohd Ismail, 26.

“We called in Neelofa to record her statement from 10.20am till about 11.30am.

“She was very cooperative and adhered to all Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) throughout the duration, ” he said in a statement.

ACP Mohd Said added that the couple was accompanied by two lawyers.

A police report was lodged against Neelofa on Thursday (May 20), claiming she may have violated SOPs by not wearing a mask beneath her veil when she came for a court hearing on the same day.

A Kosmo Online report had also gone viral, claiming that Neelofa, who had her niqab on, did not wear a face mask.

Following this, the OCPD said Neelofa would be probed under Section 269 of the Penal Code and Rule 17(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Regulations (conditional movement order) 2021.

He said prior to this, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had also said that Muslim women wearing a veil must wear a face mask underneath.

Dr Noor Hisham also said Malaysian authorities were following the World Health Organisation's recommendation of wearing a three-ply face mask, as a single layer offers insufficient protection.

ACP Mohd Said added that the National Security Council also made it compulsory for face masks to be worn in public areas from Aug 1.

Neelofa and Muhammad Haris were charged on Thursday with breaching the conditional movement control order.

The couple pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to scan their details via the MySejahtera application or register manually before entering a carpet shop located at the Nilai 3 Industrial Area at 4pm on May 2.

Muhammad Haris also claimed trial to another charge of failing to wear a face mask in a public place at the same place and time.