KOTA KINABALU: Two Pakistani workers were fined by a Magistrate’s Court here for pulling down their face masks to take a breath.
Magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun imposed a RM1,000 fine, in default, seven days’ jail on Ali Farman Md Hakim and Khan Mohsin after they admitted to separate charges under Rule 16 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Rules 2021, punishable under Rule 17 (1) of the same Rules 2021.
The indictment provides for a fine of up to RM50,000 or a jail term of up to six months, or both, upon conviction.
Ali Farman, 36, and Khan, 27, had committed the offence at the back of a grocery store here on June 16.
The fact of the case stated that patrol personnel conducting inspection at the place, found the two accused persons were not wearing their face masks properly in public place.
They were also seen wearing their face masks at their chins when they were lifting rice and sugar for the grocery store.
In mitigation, the two shop workers prayed for a lenient sentence and upon inquired by the court on why they pulled down their face masks, they said that the weather was too hot when they were lifting the items.
Ali and Khan, who were unrepresented, also said that they were a bit suffocated, that was why they pulled down their face masks to take a breath.
Last month a foreign gardener was jailed for also removing his face mask to take a breath.