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Why the double standard?

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Dr Kelvin Yii

KUCHING: Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii disagrees with the recent federal government’s decision that ministers returning from official trips abroad are now exempted from 10 days of observation or home surveillance.

He questioned the double standard policy in a Facebook post today.

“The Perikatan Nasional (PN) government declared an emergency claiming that it needs stronger laws to curb the virus, but instead they give exemptions to ministers,” he said.

He further said the government claims to want to change the law to raise fines and increase punishments for normal people who breach the standard operating procedures (SOPs), but for ministers, they changed the law so they can be exempted.

However, he said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba is not to be solely blamed for the decision.

“This is because this had to be a collective decision made by the Cabinet. The timing of the prime minister coming back from Indonesia is no coincidence,” said Dr Yii.

On Feb 8, Bernama reported that in the latest federal government gazette under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease (Exemption) Order 2021 published on the Attorney-General’s Chambers website, subject to paragraph 3, ministers returning from any official visit abroad are exempted from Section 15 of the Act.

It said Cabinet ministers who return from any official visit abroad must undergo observation for three days or undergo surveillance until discharged without endangering the public.

The gazette was signed by Dr Adham and the order took effect today (Feb 9) and would last until Aug 1.

Section 15 of Act 342 pertains to observation or surveillance of contacts and that an authorised officer may order any contact to undergo observation in such place and for such period as he may think fit, or to undergo surveillance until he may be discharged without danger to the public.

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