Trio says in favour of fines given to SOP violators
KUCHING: The public here appear to be strongly in favour of the decision to continue issuing compounds to combat the spread of Covid-19.
At the same time, they urged those fines for standard operating procedure (SOP) violations be set to an appropriate amount.
New Sarawak Tribune spoke to three persons, and one of them, Ismail Iskandar Abdul Wahid, 52, said he fully supported the decision to continue dishing out compounds to SOP violators.
“The authorities should focus on public places such as entertainment centres, factories, bazaars and night markets, because these are the areas where Covid-19 can spread easily.”
“At the same time, it is essential for the government to set a proper amount, and not repeat past mistakes such as the case of a burger seller being fined RM50,000, which we all know is an absurd sum,” said the civil servant.
“To avoid being fined, we need to adhere to SOPs and discipline ourselves. SOPs are one of the ways to help flatten the Covid-19 curve, and the public should give full cooperation.”
For accountant Nur Azizah Zafri Ahmad, more needed to be done to avoid confusion over the fines and to get people to better understand why penalty is being imposed.
“I fully support the decision to continue with issuing compounds, especially to repeat offenders, but I hope the government can take into consideration to whom the compounds are being issued, and to be more cautious when issuing any SOP or guideline so as not to confuse the public.
“There should also be consideration given to students and youngsters, given that they have no money and in financial difficulty, thus fines should be handed out on a case-by-case basis,” said the 47-year-old.
“Authorities must also educate society, through the media such as television programmes, to ensure everyone is aware of SOP violations and fines.”
Maisarah Ahmad Zaidi, a 22-year-old student, said such laws were crucial during this difficult time as compounds were issued to ensure that the public adhere to SOPs.
“Malaysians must comply with SOPs, and one way of educating the public is to impose fines or punishments, in addition to holding awareness campaigns.
“I believe everyone knows the basic SOP, but the problem is inside oneself, we would rather be a terrible society than a good one.
“I also hope the government will consider violators who are students or from a B40 background. Everyone must be reminded that this is for the good of all, especially during this pandemic.”
