No one is above law - Ismail Sabri on errant VIPs

• UPDATED 4.43PM | Additional comments from Ismail Sabri on MCO.

CORONAVIRUS | No one is above the law, said Defence Minister Ismail Sabri today when asked about “high-ranked persons” who appeared to violate the movement control order (MCO).

“No one is above the law, that is fundamental.

“I have been made to understand that police reports have been lodged. Therefore, we will leave it to the police to take action,” he said during a broadcasted press conference.

Images of Perikatan Nasional leaders paying visits and having group meals during the MCO have been shared widely in recent days, leading to much criticism online.

Among the leaders were Deputy Health Minister Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali and Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar.

Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin had criticised Noor Azmi for setting a bad example and pointed to how health ministers abroad offered to resign after they violated Covid-19 lockdown rules.

Noor Azmi did not respond to requests for comment.

Stay put, Covid-19 not over yet

Meanwhile, Ismail said that the police made 1,565 arrests yesterday, 508 more than the day before.

A total of 13,639 people have been arrested since the MCO began.

As Ramadan draws near, Ismail said that the police would be setting up more roadblocks.

He thus advised the rakyat to continue abiding by MCO rules.

“We have been seeing improvements as a result of the MCO [...]

“We should continue limiting our movements to ensure that we will finally have no more new Covid-19 cases and can end the MCO,” he said.

Less than 100 new Covid-19 infections were reported twice this past week, marking a drop after four weeks of daily triple-digit increases.

As of noon April 17, Malaysia has registered 5,251 Covid-19 cases of which 2,198 are in treatment and 2,967 have recovered.

The death toll stands at 86. 

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