No double standards in SOP compounds, says PM

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob today said that the government does not differentiate between individuals who commit an offence, including those who violate Covid-19 SOPs.

“There is no concept that people in high places are not compounded and only ordinary folk are compounded.

“Anyone who violates the SOPs will be compounded, including the minister of defence and others, no matter who they are,” he told the media after an event in Shah Alam.

He was commenting on the compounds issued by the health ministry to the organisers of the recent MIC Brigade Launching Ceremony as well as several senior government leaders including Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein for violating Covid-19 SOPs at the event in Iskandar Puteri, Johor.

On calls by DAP leaders for Hishammuddin to resign, the prime minister said there was no need for him to do so.

“Violating the SOPs is not a crime, nothing to do with crime, and the health ministry has issued compounds.

“If everyone issued a compound had to resign, I think no one could work,” he said, acknowledging nevertheless that SOPs were an important matter.

“Government officers, many government employees have been compounded, so do they all have to resign? There is no need. The important thing is that action is taken, which means that the government does not differentiate between individuals who commit offences. It can be a minister, deputy minister, head of department… it can be anyone,” he said.