KUALA LUMPUR – Crowds that converged outside a hall at the Umno headquarters last night for the Barisan Nasional Melaka election machinery launch, which led to a RM10,000 fine, was beyond the control of the event’s organisers.
Coalition secretary-general Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir said the gathering at the Tun Hussein and Tun Ismail halls of the World Trade Centre here last night had taken into account standard operating procedures with regard to the capacity of the venues.
“However, the movements outside the halls involving many people are beyond the control of the organisers.
“As a party that upholds and abides by the principles of law, BN will pay the compound issued.”
Zambry said in a statement today that BN respects Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s directive in prohibiting assemblies related to elections.
“However, in BN’s opinion, the directive is related to assemblies in Melaka.
“Therefore, the launch of the BN machinery, which was supposed to be held in Melaka, had been moved to WTC KL on October 27.”
He said the decision to hold the event here was based on the area entering Phase 4 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP), which allows gatherings to be held with a maximum of 50% of a venue’s capacity.
The Health Ministry shared a snapshot of the compound issued to the coalition’s executive secretary shortly after midnight this morning for violation of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.
The fine came mere hours after opposition members slammed BN over the breach of SOPs during the event.
The launch last night saw hundreds of members present in the building, including the coalition’s top leadership. – The Vibes, October 28, 2021
