BATU PAHAT: Deputy Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon will be called up for a police investigation after a photo of him dining with others went viral on social media.

       He is alleged to have breached Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP).

       Batu Pahat OCPD Asst Comm Ismail Dollah said the police are investigating the matter.

       "The police have detected a photo that has gone viral on social media on July 23, where the Batu Pahat MP is seen dining with two women at a farm in the Batu Pahat district.

       "Separately, the MP is also seen taking a photo with another man and two women without wearing a face mask and not practising physical distancing.

       "A report has been filed on the same day and an investigation paper has been opened under Regulation 17(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Regulations 2021," he said in a statement on Friday (July 23).

       He added that the MP and others involved will be called up to assist in the investigation.

       The incident came on the heels of the hullabaloo over a durian feast attended by Mohd Rashid, also in Johor, last month.

       Earlier, after the latest viral photo, the Batu Pahat MP's aide explained that his boss was actually having supper with his family at a homestay while waiting for a midnight Hari Raya Aidiladha sacrificial programme in Rengit here, which is part of his constituency.

       “Datuk Rashid was eating together with his wife Datin Azizah Haron and their youngest daughter at a homestay while waiting for a cow sacrificial slaughter session to complete,” said his private secretary Mohd Zaihan Mohd Zainal.

       He said the event was scheduled at 3am and that was why Mohd Rashid had booked a homestay near the slaughter venue.

       “The picture was taken at the homestay. There is no issue of SOP violation,” he said in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday (July 23).

       Last month, Mohd Rashid was caught on camera at a durian feast. The 13-second viral video showed a group of people eating durian at a farm without physical distancing and with some not wearing face masks.

       He had initially claimed that the video was from last year, with Mohd Zaihan saying that it was a “coincidence”.

       However, the MP later admitted to being at fault and apologised for the confusion, saying that he had not watched the video when contacted by the media about it.

       The police have since completed their probe into the incident and submitted the investigation papers to the Attorney General’s Chambers.