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Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi has been fined more than a month after he was seen going for a test drive at a vehicle sales centre in Juru Autocity, Penang in violation of the total lockdown
The offence was committed on 5 June, during which the country was under a total lockdown.
Photos and videos of a salesman with Muhammad Sanusi at the centre were uploaded by a woman who would later come under attack from the Menteri Besar’s supporters for outing him.
At the time, Sanusi had said that he was on his way to Kuala Lumpur and had taken a little detour to Autocity Juru to buy food where he was greeted by an employee of the adjacent shop.
“I greeted and chatted with him for a while. I think greeting people does not violate standard operating procedures (SOPs),” he said, adding that the employee then explained the type and specifications of the vehicle with him sitting in the front passenger seat and his escort sitting in the rear passenger seat.
Following which, the employee took him on a ride in the vehicle nearby the premises.
“He moved a little. He drove, not me, and he took it to an area where there was plenty of parking. He told me the price of the car was RM200,000, but I said I couldn’t afford it,” Sanusi added.
According to Penang police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, they received instruction to issue a compound to Sanusi after he was found to have breached the SOPs. He said that additional information will be given once the order has been sent to the Menteri besar.
Utusan Malaysia reported Mohd Shuhaily saying that an official statement will be issued by the Penang Police Contingent headquarters on the matter after the issuance of the compound.
The amount of the fine has not yet been disclosed.
Free Malaysia Today reported Federal Crime Investigation Department director CP Datuk Seri Abd Jalil Hassan saying it was as per high profile cases and that Sanusi can either pay or fight it in court.
“In past VIP cases, such as Neelofa (Noor Neelofa Mohd Nor) and Siti Nurhaliza (Taruddin), we have done it the same way and it’s up to them if they want to fight it in court,” he explained.
Sanusi’s case was investigated under Section 269 of the Penal Code and Regulation 17 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 2021.
Nine people including the woman who recorded the video at the scene and two employees of a car sales company were reported to have had their statements taken by investigators, Malay Mail reported.
Under Section 269, the offence is punishable with a jail term of up to six months, or fine, or both.
Image via Free Malaysia Today
After the video of Sanusi went viral last month, he appeared upset with the woman for not seeking clarification from him as he would have explained the situation to her to avoid any misunderstandings
“Maybe because I am a controversial Menteri Besar some people think that when they record a leader who allegedly violated the SOPs, that person will become a hero in this country,” he said.
“I’m not saying I’m not wrong or guilty, if there is a violation of the SOPs then I apologise because it happened by chance, I like to greet people and talk. If I get a compound then I will pay.”
At the time, the Menteri Besar had promised to give the person who recorded the video of him on the day of the incident a new smartphone “to make it easier for the person to record good things”.