Jakel store latest to get compound for breaching Covid SOPs

Textile department store Jakel has been slapped with a RM10,000 compound for failing to adhere to Covid-19 health SOPs, MalaysiaNow has learnt.

When contacted, health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah confirmed that the store’s outlet in Bangi, Selangor, had been compounded over five offences.

Among others, the company failed to ensure only a single entrance point for customers to its store.

It also failed to limit the number of people allowed in the store at any one time, and did not enforce social distancing rules.

It likewise failed to ensure that customers use the MySejahtera app to facilitate contact tracing by the authorities.

The compound was issued under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.

The Hulu Langat district health office told MalaysiaNow that it would come down hard on Jakel if the outlet repeats the offences, including by issuing a two-week closure order.

Jakel entered the spotlight after images of its store, packed with customers, went viral on social media with many questioning the lack of physical distancing and other SOPs.

This came as Selangor continued to log more than 700 new cases each day, amid a surge of infections in several states including Kelantan and Sarawak.