KUALA LUMPUR: The organiser of the 100-day Aspirasi Keluarga Malaysia event has been fined RM1,000 for violating Covid-19 physical distancing rules.

       The four-day event from Dec 9, which was organised by the Shared Prosperity Delivery Unit (Sepadu) of the Prime Minister’s Department, was held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

       “It was supposed to showcase the 100-day achievements of the government but it had been marred by the organiser’s failure to abide by the SOP, and the visitors’ failure to follow the SOP,” said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

       He said the organisers had been issued with a RM1,000 compound under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act.

       “RM1,000 is the maximum fine allowed under the Act,” he said in a statement yesterday.

       Images of big crowds at the event with people standing close to one another had been circulated online.

       “What happened was very regrettable and disappointing (especially since) the organisers previously made a commitment to ensure that the programme would be organised under tight SOP compliance with continuous observation, management and enforcement,” Khairy said.

       Khairy said the hosting of such an official government event should have set the best example and be a benchmark for other agencies, including non-government bodies and the public; not just in terms of implementation but also in terms of SOP adherence and rules set.

       He warned that the Health Ministry would monitor the event closely.

       “We would not hesitate to issue further compounds against the organiser,” he said.

       As a government, he said: “We should set an example and show the best practices to the society. We must uphold the standard that we expect of the public,” he added.