KUALA LUMPUR – An investigation is ongoing into an alleged trespass of media personnel into the low-risk Covid-19 quarantine and treatment centre at Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) during the #HartalDoktorKontrak protest on Monday, confirmed police today.
Sepang deputy police chief Md Noor Aehawan Mohamed in a statement said they received a complaint from the centre’s management that six media personnel from various agencies had entered the premises without permission.
“The area there happens to be a hall that accommodates 496 women patients, who are all infected with Covid-19.
“The hall has been gazetted as a coronavirus treatment and quarantine centre, and the public in general have been prohibited from entering without permission.
“One media personnel is understood to have live-streamed a coverage while he was in the hall.”
Currently, police have recorded statements from 17 medical officers, who were on duty during the incident, to assist in the investigation.
The investigation is conducted pursuant to Section 448 of the Penal Code for trespass, Section 17(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Regulations 2021 for flouting standard operating procedures, and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for recording in a prohibited zone.
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— HartalDoktorKontrak (@HKontrak) July 27, 2021
Polis datang ke #MAEPS tengah malam untuk ambik keterangan. Walaupun sudah dikatakan tiada tindakan tatatertib. Jadi kenapa ganggu frontliners pada tengah malam?? Bukan mereka berparti di #MAEPS tu pic.twitter.com/7lo2uiGCN4
Noor Aehawan said police will complete the investigation before probe papers are forwarded to the office of the deputy public prosecutor.
The Vibes had this morning reported that investigations into doctors who took part in the protest continue, despite assurances by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba that no disciplinary action will be taken against them.
Lawyer Asheeq Ali Sethi Alivi, who is representing the medical officers, said police questioning started at 11.45pm yesterday and ended only at 3.50am today and involved a total of 12 doctors.
He alleged that the investigation was initiated after a report was lodged by the centre’s director Dr Shahabuddin Ibrahim.
The questioning is set to continue today, as some personnel were not on duty last night, he added.
Asheeq Ali in a statement this morning said Dr Shahabuddin claimed that the doctors did not have approval to have media personnel present during the walkout on Monday.
Meanwhile, @HKontrak tweeted asking why frontliners are being disturbed in the middle of the night despite the promise of no disciplinary action.
“It is not like they are partying at MAEPS.”
Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil tweeted that Dr Adham’s assurance is “worthless” because as health minister, he “has no source of authority to direct police to stop the probe”.
“But, we have not heard a word from the home minister or prime minister.” – The Vibes, July 28, 2021
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