By Mariam Mokhtar

During the coronavirus pandemic, the majority of rakyat have, by and large, adhered to the rules, but Malaysian politicians who openly defy the strict conditions just show that they consider themselves above the law and that the law only applies to ordinary citizens.

When politicians misbehave, the nation loses all the trust and respect for them. Don't they know they should set a good example to the others? Breaking the law has only increased the people's ire and disgust of them.

In a live telecast on March 18, Muhyiddin Yassin pleaded with Malaysians to observe the Movement Control Order (MCO) and desist from holding gatherings, going on holidays, or "balik kampung".

He said, "…Just stay at home and protect yourself and your family."

His plea had been made when it was reported that despite the MCO, bus stations were busy with people rushing back to their hometowns, while the police had reported that highways to the north, south and east were congested.

Muhyiddin said the lockdown would contain the spread of coronavirus infections, and help control the number of people who could contract the virus.

He also said coronavirus had an incubation period of 14 days, and that the symptoms might not show up for two weeks.

So, why did the politicians who broke the MCO rules disregard this important message to keep the people safe and stop an escalation of infection?

Many Malaysians have long since realized that the laws only apply to them and that many politicians break the rules. They have little faith in the system, and as one social observer said, "There are two sets of laws: one for the politicians, and another for ordinary people. A person who steals milk powder to feed his starving baby is jailed and fined. A politician who steals millions of taxpayers' money is allowed to escape scot-free. Where is the justice?"

On April 22, senior minister Ismail Sabri said 17,735 individuals had been arrested for violating the MCO. This is only 0.06 percent of the country's population of 31 million and shows that majority of Malaysians are observing the MCO rules.

In contrast, a number of politicians from the ruling coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) have openly flouted the MCO, including Terengganu menteri besar Ahmad Samsuri, deputy health minister Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali, Perak executive councilor Razman Zakaria, and deputy youth and sports minister Wan Ahmad Fayhsal. A minister invited people to record a TikTok video in her office, and the daughter of Umno-Baru president visited politicians in Putrajaya.

Why are politicians and politically connected people allowed to visit one another? Wouldn't a telephone call do? What message does it send to the public?

What does it say, when a single mother was given a 30-day jail term for violating the MCO but Terengganu MB Ahmad Samsuri will not get charged for the same offense? Photographs of Ahmad dining with former MB Ahmad Said have been circulated on social media. The former MB will not be charged. The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) has classified Ahmad Samsuri's case as "No Further Action" (NFA).

No one is making excuses for the single mother, but did the magistrate consider the trauma that will be inflicted on the single mother's 6-year-old son? Who will take care of him during his mother's imprisonment? Why was she not given the same sentence as the MB? Justice should be seen to be dispassionate and impartial.

When photographs of deputy health minister Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali and Perak exco Razman Zakaria having a meal with 18 other people in a tahfiz school in Lenggong were uploaded onto Facebook, there was a public uproar. There was no social distancing and the gathering was not essential under the terms of the MCO. The two were investigated and finally charged at a court in Grik for violating the MCO. They were fined RM1,000.

Many questions remain.

Would these two and the others who were seen in the photographs have been investigated if not for the rakyat's condemnation?

Few people are satisfied with the sentence, especially as these men should have led by example. They probably only apologized because their boss had seen how their behavior had angered the rakyat.

In most other countries, people who hold senior positions in government and have committed serious breaches of the law have resigned because they have brought shame to their departments and their leaders.

Elderly people who walked to buy food for their families were thrown into prison for breaking the MCO. A single mother was jailed, but two others who were present in court on the same charges were only fined. The sentencing seems very haphazard. Was each individual's circumstances considered?

It appears that in Muhyiddin's administration, double standards and different punishments for the public and government officials are here to stay. Jail is reserved for members of the public, when by right government officials should have been more severely punished.

As for the RM1,000 fine, one is reminded by the words of a former Umno-Baru minister who said RM2 million is like loose change for him.

If Muhyiddin wants to make a difference, the hypocrisy and double standards must cease.

Source:

1. New Straits Times: PM's plea: Stay at home 

2. MalaysiaKini: 'No further action' for Terengganu MB's MCO case

3. MalaysiaKini: MCO violation: Deputy health minister, exco plead guilty, fined RM1,000

4. MalaysiaKini: Upset netizens question why no police action over PN leaders flouting MCO

5. MalaysiaKini: Perak exco man apologizes over gathering involving deputy health minister

6. Free Malaysia Today: RM800 fines for six who went by van to Ramadan meal

7. Free Malaysia Today: Single mum jailed 30 days for breaching MCO wants sentence revised

8. MalaysiaKini: A lesson for all – Perak MB on fine for deputy health minister and exco

9. MalaysiaKini: Courts must consider all factors on jail term for MCO offenders – M'sian Bar

(Mariam Mokhtar is a Freelance Writer.)