Posted by alipay88 > 2020-04-22 11:23 | Report Abuse

.......This is a very careless and irresponsible act, especially in visiting a tahfiz school. And to make matters even worse, it’s was by a deputy minister and an entourage to boot!

It just takes one person in that motley crew who is an asymptomatic carrier to spread it throughout the school. We can just hope none of them is, for the sake of all those children there.

Posted by alipay88 > 2020-04-22 11:24 | Report Abuse

And It should not be just a matter of paying a fine. The deputy minister should be dragged to court in handcuffs and charged.

The government is asking everyone to stay at home but Noor Azmi was running around freely despite the MCO is still enforced. He must be punished the same way as all the others. No one should be spared.

The police must be fair to all. If not, those who were arrested and charged should file a suit against the inspector-general of police (IGP) and the police for abusing their powers and being bias in applying the law.

Posted by RevenueQueenie > 2020-04-22 11:32 | Report Abuse

Morning guys!

Posted by RevenueQueenie > 2020-04-22 11:32 | Report Abuse

yes, agree with you guys

Posted by RevenueQueenie > 2020-04-22 11:33 | Report Abuse

As i recall, senior minister Ismail Sabri Yaacob say that those caught flouting the law will be arrested and taken to court.

Why must the deputy minister be given preferential treatment? Does Perikatan Nasional (PN) believe that their MPs are special beings and entitled people?

We have been following the law for the good of all Malaysians. But this deputy minister and PAS exco think they have the right to not only disobey the law but put the lives of Malaysians at risk.

This is ridiculous. If PN MPs cannot follow the law, then why should the MCO be enforced? At this rate, there will be no end to the MCO.

Posted by RevenueQueenie > 2020-04-22 11:35 | Report Abuse

Seems like we are the only ones, who follow MCO strictly up to the hilt. Even to the point our dogs are denied from their usual daily walks.

Then there are these idiotic government officials flouting the law, having fun with all kinds of excuses.

I agreed with lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, there is no need for investigation by the police. The evidence is so glaringly clear.

If the IGP has any shred of honesty and an ounce of courage, punish all those VIP violators who broke the law with the same standards applied to the general public.

Posted by RevenueQueenie > 2020-04-22 11:36 | Report Abuse

We had high regard for the IGP when he was portrayed as a lone figure against the previous BN government.

Now, we cannot say the same. It looks like it's best to play ball with the present regime. The rewards are much better than sitting it out alone.

Posted by Zillionaire > 2020-04-22 11:37 | Report Abuse

Yes guys, Two friends living down my road had gone out in the night on different days - one to buy a cough mixture and the other to see his aged mother who had fallen in the toilet.

Both got arrested and charged the next day “for going out to visit friends”. Both objected to the facts of the case. The magistrate offered both - plead guilty and pay RM1,000 or stay in police lockup for the case to be reheard.

I guess they were lucky it was not Ayob Khan Mydin (former chief of Counter Terrorism Division) at the roadblock. Otherwise, they could have charged for money laundering and supporting communists…

Posted by SweetMemoryLane > 2020-04-22 11:41 | Report Abuse

“In other countries such as New Zealand, their health minister resigned because he violated their lockdown, and the public in other countries are also expressing their anger towards the UK housing minister and the South African communications minister for the same reason.

Posted by SweetMemoryLane > 2020-04-22 11:41 | Report Abuse

“We do not want to have a different set of rules. The leadership must show a good example,” said Umno vice-president Khaled Nordin in the caption of his Instagram post, which depicted Noor Azmi having a meal with a group of people at a tahfiz school.

Posted by SweetMemoryLane > 2020-04-22 11:41 | Report Abuse

What are you waiting for Bersatu MP for Bagan Serai Noor Azmi?

Posted by gooddaymate > 2020-04-22 11:46 | Report Abuse

Good day mate

Posted by gooddaymate > 2020-04-22 11:46 | Report Abuse

Our leaders in the government should be leading by example. Instead, they are the ones violating the law thinking that they have the special immunity to get away with it.

Posted by gooddaymate > 2020-04-22 11:46 | Report Abuse

These politicians are blatantly abusing their power without shame. Both the deputy health minister and the Perak PAS chief should be charged and punished immediately and then sacked from their positions.

Posted by gooddaymate > 2020-04-22 11:47 | Report Abuse

They are not fit to be our leaders as they have tarnished the image of Malaysia.

Posted by SweetMemoryLane > 2020-04-22 11:59 | Report Abuse

Yes, They will take a month to set up a 20-member sub-committee to investigate. After that, another three months to complete investigations. And another month before the findings are announced. By which time the Covid 19 is over.

And the findings conclude that there was no violation of the MCO because the deputy minister was just doing his job assisting the dumb health minister.

Posted by SweetMemoryLane > 2020-04-22 11:59 | Report Abuse

Having to even mention this fundamental concept shows the quality of our nation as a whole especially those in authority of their respective fields. Thanks to the satanic cult which teaches that certain groups are special and above the law to the extent that those who are suppose to implement the law are biased.

Posted by QuellingBlaster > 2020-04-22 12:00 | Report Abuse

HO ho HO, A lawyer becomes a judge and a judge becomes a lawyer.

Posted by XxXTripleXxX > 2020-04-22 12:06 | Report Abuse

Deputy Health Minister should resign. If you dare to flaunt the law, have the balls to step down. You are not selected by the people. We did not vote for you. Shameless !

Posted by XxXTripleXxX > 2020-04-22 12:06 | Report Abuse

Respect for the law is lost if there is double standards. Examples abound overseas where ministers have resigned or demoted for breaking the MCO. If the government wants the respect of the Rakyat, the LAW must apply to all.

Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-22 12:08 | Report Abuse

This double standard treatment of ordinary folks and vips must stop. While normal.folks are summarily punished others are ".being investigated". Why is this so? Where there is already photographic evidence, why the delay ?justice must not only be done but seen to be done. Please be fair to all.

Posted by ChinaDragon > 2020-04-22 12:12 | Report Abuse

yes, Even an iota of shame in them?

The pits of it while screaming supremacy race, religion!!! .
Betul betul Maruah, means, you will not want the rest of your fraternity tarnished by your acts, acts out of your arrogance or out of your stupidity.

Posted by ChinaDragon > 2020-04-22 12:12 | Report Abuse

So we can see that their screams of race and religion is hollow, is a farce, for them to grab position, power and money.

Posted by ChinaDragon > 2020-04-22 12:12 | Report Abuse

In other words we can conclude that this present government can not be entrusted and IGP got to be sacked and replaced. We shall help those being charged under the MCO by filing a case against the authority for unfair practicing and abuse of power.

Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-22 12:13 | Report Abuse

It is obvious that this is an un-elected backdoor government with no mandate from the people, and they are behaving as such. Being so irresponsible. I suppose being DUMNO/PAS, they know no better. That is their mentality, and the IGP looks like have the same mentality? So called investigation have been completed and we are still awaiting action. I suppose rakyat must conclude that they are trying their best to see how to wiggle out of this obvious breech of the law. We Rakyat are never even a chance to explain. Tangkap and lockup for us. For them, Tunggu, siasat, selesai, to see how to let them off. Did anyone notice how quiet the IGP / DG MOH are on these high profile law breakers. Was it not so longer ago that they promise to use the stick and beat as hard as possible? Carrots are over? Well, the Rakyat is waiting to see which stick. The rotan or the candy stick? Shall we take a wager on which stick?

Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-22 12:13 | Report Abuse

Would Moohiddin dare to instruct his UMNO macai to take action on these MCO violaters? Zil. No balls

Posted by traderstrades > 2020-04-22 12:15 | Report Abuse

Good afternoon guys, Power tends to corrupt, Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely- Lord Acton, British historian (10 January 1834 – 19 June 1902)

Posted by traderstrades > 2020-04-22 12:15 | Report Abuse

Us and Them - 2 set of Laws.....

Posted by traderstrades > 2020-04-22 12:15 | Report Abuse

IGP & Polis still acting under BN SOP minum Teh

Everyone else Serah Diri di Balai

Posted by traderstrades > 2020-04-22 12:16 | Report Abuse

This show PN & BN are NO NO difference.
What you expect?
Most of them from where?
The MCO is a GOOD move to contain COVID19 but with 2 set of law are BLOODY move.
What so BIG about Ministers or Deputy Ministers.
Can we RESPECT PN government if these few violators are let go with their bloody excuses ....
Law are law...
Rakyat know how to put future government in place..

Posted by QuellingBlaster > 2020-04-22 12:18 | Report Abuse

HO ho HO,we are back to Malusia .... with shameless politicians as our leaders and ministers. What do you expect? Malusia.

Posted by QuellingBlaster > 2020-04-22 12:18 | Report Abuse

HO ho HO, There is no dignity in this pengkhianat government. Likewise the IGP if he does not act on the backdoor ministers and their entourage for flouting the MCO. Also don’t forget to arrest Zahid’s loud mouth eldest daughter as well,

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:55 | Report Abuse

Fighting for respect in the shadows of the frontlines

With the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the challenges facing healthcare personnel are slowly falling under the media spotlight. There is, however, another group of people in the government hospitals who stay in the shadows, risking their lives just to ensure that the patients and medical staff are always in a clean and sterile environment while fighting against the virus. These unsung heroes are hospital cleaners who perform a crucial role but have very few rights and benefits and whether one is a new worker or a 20-year veteran, the salaries are the same - the minimum wage of RM1,100. The remaining allowances and benefits are up to their respective contractors. Rita Santaran (above) took up the fight for the rights of such workers and lost her job in the midst of a takeover, although the new contractor, UEM Edgenta, told Malaysiakini that Rita was indeed offered the chance to continue her employment. A former chairperson of a hospital cleaners' union in Perak and a single mother with four children, Rita raised a whole family with a monthly wage of around RM1,000 (after deductions).

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:55 | Report Abuse

She had started working in a government hospital in November 2013 and at that time, her youngest son was three years old, while her eldest child was 12 years old. She had worked in a departmental store, a factory and so on. But after giving birth to her children, Rita decided to work in a hospital, which is much closer to her house than the factories. “It is more convenient for me if I want to send my children to school, or go back home to see them,” she told Malaysiakini. In the early years of nationhood, cleaners in government hospitals were part of the civil service. This was until then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad launched the national privatisation policy in 1983. At that time, the government decided to transfer the "non-professional" services under public agencies to the private contractors - this included cleaning and maintenance works. As a contract worker over the past seven years, Rita has gone through three different contractors and only one of them raised her salary - by RM50 - in 2015.

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:55 | Report Abuse

Whenever contractors or subcontractors change, the workers in a hospital will be absorbed as "new workers" despite some of them having worked in the same hospitals for 10 to 20 years. This means that their accumulated annual leave, bonus or medical allowances will not be carried forward. “If I want to buy a house, my payslip is less acceptable than those of permanent workers because the bank will worry that you might lose your job and be unable to pay the loan after two or three years. “I had asked the boss in a meeting, 'Why are we contract workers?' And he said the government launched this programme to give the opportunities for contractors to be maju. “So, my question is, if all the contractors want to maju, how about us, the workers?" Rita said. Hospital cleaning as a profession Rita spends her mornings on housekeeping as well as sending her children to school.

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:55 | Report Abuse

After that, she goes to the hospital and shuttles between the various departments. The shifts are 3pm to 11pm or 11pm to 7am, with only one and a half-days off a week. During her one-hour lunch break, she still has to be on call for contingency while having lunch. If any patient vomits, haemorrhages or bed-wets, the workers have to go to the ward and clean it up quickly. “If they cannot find us, they will complain to our office and we will get a warning letter,” Rita said. Cleaning in hospitals is different from cleaning in banks, schools or other office spaces. According to Rita, there are strict procedures to be followed in a cleaning task, including certain detergents or powders to be applied first and certain kinds of mops to be used next.

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:56 | Report Abuse

Although employers provide the cleaners with personal protective equipment, such as gloves and masks, sometimes this is not enough for them. Working in a hospital means the workers are at a high risk of getting infected by unknown diseases. “We won't know what disease the patient has contracted. Maybe they have infectious diseases and the waste we clean up, the urine, the vomit, all of these could spread the virus." Two years ago, Rita and several colleagues contracted shingles (herpes zoster) after cleaning up the blood of a dialysis patient. “That uncle bled a lot, the chair was full of his blood, I had to clean it. I was also not very healthy at the time, I had a cough. So I got infected very soon after.” “It spread to my back and my hands until I couldn't lift one of my hands.”

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:56 | Report Abuse

It took Rita a month to recover from the illness and until today, she still has skin problems. Although the company offered a medical allowance of RM200 per year, Rita had to pay the RM1 consultation fees on her own at the hospital that she worked for. She also noted that the medical allowance was too little for cleaners, considering their constant exposure to disease. Bullied by employer after husband’s death Four years ago, Rita’s husband passed away suddenly, after a month of fever, leaving her to support the children. The grief, coupled with the stress of making a living, affected Rita’s working performance and the supervisor changed her workplace to a bigger building. “I worked in the hospital's Emergency Department before, with stable working times. I was moved to the students' hostel. A very big building with more workload and almost no one to interact with. That made my trauma more serious.” After Rita protested, the supervisor agreed to reassign her - on condition that she give up stable working hours for shift work. "He knew that I had just become a single mother, and if I worked the night shift, there would be no one to take care of my children. I had no choice but to accept it.” After facing unreasonable treatment for many years, Rita realised how the contract system exploits workers and she became braver about confronting her bosses to defend the rights of the workers. “During the meeting they will scold us and talk to us as if we are very low, telling us to go and die. I told them that they, being the leaders, shouldn’t talk like this. It’s unfair. “My colleagues thought I’m fierce, but actually I’m not. It’s already 2020, we have to improve. If you always stay quiet, you’ll never get your rights.”

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:56 | Report Abuse

Joining the union was the starting point for Rita to fight the system, the employers and the authorities for the rights of these hospital workers. In 2016, M Sarasvathy, the then deputy president of Party Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), went to meet the cleaners at the government hospital where Rita worked, to explain the plan of forming a workers’ union. Rita and several colleagues decided to join the union, which had not been officially registered yet at that time. “Saras (Sarasvathy) told us that the aim to form a union is to help the workers. Since we have been contract workers for a long time and the employer didn't give us reasonable treatment, no salary increments, she suggested we join the union. “And we joined, despite the union not being registered at that time. Of course, our supervisor was unhappy.”

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:57 | Report Abuse

Rita, who was always fearless in “confronting” the bosses, was elected as union branch chairperson for her hospital. More than half the cleaners join the union The union, Kesatuan Pekerja-Pekerja Swasta Perkhidmatan Sokongan di Hospital-Hospital Kerajaan Semenanjung Malaysia (KPSPSHKSM) was actually formed in 1997 but was dormant until PSM reactivated it in 2016. Saras and her comrades went to 22 hospitals in northern Malaysia to explain the concept of the union to the cleaners, helping those in each hospital to establish their own union. The government hospital where Rita worked had 47 cleaners. As of last December, 37 cleaners had joined the union. Rita and her colleagues had deep discussions about the plight of workers under the contract system. “We always discuss our problems in the union. Most of us have the awareness. Why don’t we ask for our rights, ask to abolish the contract system?” Indeed in the middle of last year, a documentary titled "Bila Kami Bersatu" filmed the daily struggles of a union of hospital cleaners.

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:57 | Report Abuse

After years of meetings and preparation, the union began the lengthy negotiations with the then-contractor to secure workers' pay rises and basic benefits such as holidays and allowances and finally signed a collective agreement (CA) in October 2019. Thirty-eight out of the 43 demands listed by the union had been accepted by the employer, except for those involving money such as bonuses and increments. It was a great moment for them. However, the workers were then informed that they would come under a new subcontractor again, this year. The new subcontractor, Edgenta UEMS, is in charge of cleaning services in 32 hospitals in northern Malaysia and is under a public-listed government-linked company (GLC), UEM Edgenta. For the record, the UEM Group has been a fully-owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad since 2001.

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:57 | Report Abuse

According to Rita, before formally taking over, the new subcontractor started asking cleaners to fill job application forms. In other words, the cleaners who have worked for years will be absorbed as "new workers". Besides that, the employer said the "new workers" should attend an interview, and those selected will be under a three-months probationary period. Those who cannot read and write would be terminated. The company refused to recognise the collective agreements that had been sighed with the previous contractors and said that the union would be automatically "disbanded" when the company takes over. Tense times after protest The union then mobilised over a hundred cleaners from several hospitals in northern Malaysia to stage a protest in front of the Health Ministry in Putrajaya. Rita was one among them. They sat in front of the Health Ministry in Putrajaya, asking to see the then Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:58 | Report Abuse

Speaking of the experience of demonstrating, Rita, who had always been brave and determined, said she didn’t feel nervous at all. “If I didn't do anything wrong, I will not be afraid.” After several hours, Dzulkefly met them and received their memorandum and allowed the union representatives to meet with a ministry officer. According to Rita, one of the high-profile leaders of the new subcontractor was also present and promised the cleaners that they would become permanent staff and the protesters would not be dismissed. Eventually, the workers did not have to fill in job applications forms or undergo probation but they realised that their benefits were cut after receiving the offer letters. Thus, many of them signed the offer letters with a note - “Received with objection' (Terima dengan bantahan)” to express their dissatisfaction.

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:58 | Report Abuse

After that, representatives from the union, Edgenta UEMS and the Health Ministry, met several times to negotiate the matter. Ultimately, the employer agreed to issue a new offer letter to those who signed under "Received with objection" while the union would issue a formal letter to explain the reasons for the objection. However, Rita said she and five other workers didn’t receive the new offer letters. Four out of the six of them had participated in the demonstration in Putrajaya. At the time of writing, Rita has been out of work for four months. With the Covid-19 outbreak, she lost her part-time job recently. Although she believe that her termination was due to union-busting, she has never regretted her decision to be active in the union. “Only when the union is strong enough, can we get what we deserve.” Touchingly, the union members who have continued in their jobs are now donating so that their unemployed comrades can receive up to RM200 per month. “If not for the union, I think no one would help us.” Rita and the other workers have filed a police report as well as a complaint with the Industrial Relations Department on Jan 3, 2020, on the issue of unjust dismissal. According to Rita, after the protest in Putrajaya, workers who played an active role in the union started to be targeted by the employer. Their working schedules and workplaces have been changed. Sadly, some colleagues who are non-union members tipped off their supervisor when Rita and her colleagues talked about the union activities. “My supervisors asked me what I would get by joining the union. I said I could get my rights, and he stopped asking me. But he will tell my colleagues not to be like me or they will lose their jobs. ” Despite the bumps and turns, the formation of unions has shaken up the rigid structure of labour and loosened the unequal relationship between supervisors and workers. Rita recalls that before the union was formed, the answer to any complaint would often be: "You can quit if you don’t like the job." Or, there would simply be no response. “After the union was formed, our supervisors are more careful and act on our complaints. They will tell us not to complain to the union because the union will send a formal letter to fight for the rights of workers.” UEM Edgenta says it is committed to job security When responding to Rita’s claims, UEM Edgenta told Malaysiakini that there was no attempt to sideline or terminate the six workers and that the workers themselves refused to accept the employment offer without the note "Terima dengan bantahan".

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:58 | Report Abuse

“Edgenta UEMS supervisors have engaged and persuaded them to reconsider a clean acceptance. However, the six individuals refused.” “Hence the positions were offered to other applicants to ensure uninterrupted operations at the mentioned hospitals.” According to the statement, UEM Edgenta had offered a permanent employment status for the workers, which brings them additional benefits and value. “The aim is to provide the cleansing operatives with more job security and it would be easier for them to apply for banking facilities such as loans.” “Over 2,200 individuals, the majority of them former employees of the subcontractors, had accepted the employment offer unconditionally, and were recruited as new Edgenta UEMS permanent employees.” Furthermore, the company claimed that it was not legally bound by the collective agreement (CA) between the union and the previous subcontractor NS Medik Sdn Bhd as it is not the "transferee, assignee or successor" as stated in the CA. “This was not a take-over or merger or an acquisition, nor was it a change in business ownership. Edgenta UEMS is a separate entity altogether and has no relationship with NS Medik Sdn. Bhd.” While she struggles to defend workers’ rights, Rita never relaxes her fight for the livelihood of her entire family. She expressed worries about her son who is going to take his SPM exam early next year. “I should have sent him for tuition, but I'm unemployed and can't afford it." One of her daughters is waiting for her STPM results and work part-time at a petrol station. “She'll help with the household expenses, but I want her to save the money. She's going to college soon and I should prepare for it now, but since I don't have a job, I can’t do much."

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 12:59 | Report Abuse

Asked if she has considered changing her job during this period, Rita revealed that she has continued running an online business to sell some clothes and groceries, which she started to do two years ago. “Although the profit is not stable, it's still a way to get food for the family.” As she has a keen interest in business, her mother also suggested that she could open up a stall to sell food. “My mother could make the kuih-muih, it’s like our family recipe. But it also requires some capital to set up a business, so we are still considering it.” Currently, Rita is still waiting to hear feedback from her complaint to the Industrial Relations Department. “Of course, (if favourable) I would return to work at the hospital. Maybe I wouldn’t stay for a long time, because the income is not enough for me.” “But for me, the fight should go on. I want to prove that we, the union can win.”

Posted by QuellingBlaster > 2020-04-22 13:13 | Report Abuse

HO ho HO, Another example of the havoc created by Dr m in his privatization obsession

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-22 13:15 | Report Abuse

A tragic yet heroic story of those behind the scenes ensuring sanitary conditions in hospitals. Neither the PH or PN governments have looked seriously into the conditions prevailing for such workers. They have slipped under the radar do far too long but the Covid19 has brought their plight into sharp focus. If this matter has not highlighted this story, many would be in the dark as the work done by these unsung, underpaid and ignored workers.

Posted by alipay88 > 2020-04-22 13:16 | Report Abuse

MPs and Ministers get 2 or 3 salary pay . But they want others to survive with 1000 month

Posted by ChinaDragon > 2020-04-22 13:19 | Report Abuse

Strongly feel in today’s environment of high cost of living, minimum wage must be at least RM1500 with COLA Rates depending on urban or semi urban or rural. Otherwise how to survive?