YOURSAY | ‘A RM1,000 fine is too harsh in these trying times, what more for a student who has no income.’

Netizens rally behind youth fined over mask rule, question uneven enforcement

PurpleJaguar0553: Why do Malaysians even bother commenting or raging at such unfairness in law enforcement?

It is a given that politicians in power regardless of whether it is Perikatan Nasional or BN or Pakatan Harapan will not be called into account.

They are the elites, and the elites do not have to comply with the law so long as they hold the reins of power. This is common in most countries, perhaps other than Europe and the US.

The student should have been let off with a warning rather than being burdened with a RM1,000 fine. Maybe if he said he was a participant of the infamous July 28 rally in support of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, he might have been let off.

While I detest the unfairness, rather than raging about this, it is time that Malaysians direct their rage on more important issues such as the unfair salary and compensation given to ministers and their ilk, their appointments and the appointments of their supporters and party members to plum positions, the lack of transparency in awards of government contracts, discrimination in the licensing of businesses, aid dispensation, scholarships awards, access to educational opportunities, job opportunities, the granting of housing discounts and qualification for housing units, and issuance of permits for street businesses, et cetera.

These issues affect our economic well-being and that of our children.

ColorAnimalNumber: On the day of “Bossku” trial verdict, pictures were taken by reporters clearly showing many people, including a few members of parliament (MPs) were seen without face masks or wearing them incorrectly. Why were they not fined?

So issuing a fine to this poor student is part of standard operating procedures (SOP), but those people who gathered in front of the court are “chosen” people immune to the law?

Don’t Just Talk: Yes, why the double standards when Umno members gathered by the hundreds at the Kuala Lumpur High Court and some without wearing face masks and lack social distancing too?

Why were they not slapped with a RM1,000 fine and can Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob give Malaysians a satisfactory reply?

The youth was wearing a face mask but like many individuals, he wore the face mask below his nose because he was apparently having some throat problem. The police could have just given him a verbal warning instead of issuing him with a compound notice of RM1,000.

It is clear that the youth is not rich and RM1,000 means a lot to him, which was the reason he broke down and cried.

ManOnTheStreet: This is a case of not because the individual refused or did not have a mask on, but because it was momentarily pulled down.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of instances, where I have seen high-ranked Malaysians pull down their mask to speak and maybe "breathe" for a moment. Same goes for many, many ordinary citizens.

If there was a blatant disregard for the rules, it is seen more often amongst those of rank and position on TV and social media where there is no attempt even to wear a mask. Fine them instead and not poor citizens on the street who are already struggling to make ends meet.

This student's tears will bear heavily on those in power. It makes me cry inside from the injustice and hypocrisy I see arising from this pandemic.

Bobby0: Indeed, a RM1,000 fine is too harsh in these trying times, what more for a student who has no income.

Rules and fines are decided by those sitting in the air-conditioned offices who have no idea what the people are going through.

Yes, at times masks do create itchiness. It is a fact. It also creates breathing difficulty in others, especially senior citizens and those with medical conditions.

Secondly, why the difference in dishing out fines and sentences. Why do the police fear well-connected and very important persons (VIPs)?

Many times, the police themselves are confused about the law, and where and when they should take action concerning the wearing of masks. Different officers act differently in these situations.

Mazilamani: Why do we wear a face mask in public areas? It is to ensure our own health in the midst of the Covid-19 epidemic.

If the police question, charge or arrest you for not using a mask in public areas, be thankful they are doing their jobs. Why bother questioning why politicians are left scot-free for not observing the same?

Frankly, they should lead by example. If they don't respect the law, just let them suffer. These politicians are no better than human leeches exploiting Malaysian voters.

Take care of our personal health first, don’t bother about the politicians.

GreenViper4010: It is a significant challenge for any police to apply the rule "equally" in practice. Judgement must be used… and perhaps here, the police officers in question showed a lack of judgement and were too heavy-handed on the lad.

It is not surprising that there are double standards in general law enforcement in Malaysia. We see this all the time with politicians, all the way to the top, so no surprises there.

I thank all ordinary citizens for continuing to call this type of behaviour out.

Wira: The SOP is useless if you were to ask me, and I've written about this before.

Why can't the authorities make this simple and make it mandatory for everyone to wear a mask once that person steps out of his/her home? Learn this from our southern neighbour.

In this way, there will be no subjective judgement required by law enforcement officers.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 500,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.