KUALA LUMPUR – DAP veteran and mentor Lim Kit Siang has been slapped with a compound for violating Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) during DAP’s 17th national congress held at the IDCC Convention Centre on March 20.
Lim, 82, who tested positive for Covid-19 the next day, was seen being in close physical proximity with many people during the event, even embracing several individuals.
The issuance of the compound was revealed by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin in a tweet today, along with an attached image of the RM1,000 compound to Lim, who had announced his retirement from electoral politics during the congress.
Kompaun sudah dikeluarkan kepada @limkitsiang. KKM juga harap @NajibRazak bayar satu kompaun yang dikeluarkan semasa PRN Johor yang masih belum settle. KKM juga harap @NajibRazak menerima 4 lagi kompaun yang dihantar melalui pos daftar yang pegawai DS enggan terima sebelum ini. https://t.co/6wS3eO3lOK pic.twitter.com/xXFql3u8Io
— Khairy Jamaluddin ??? (@Khairykj) March 22, 2022
Khairy also took the opportunity to call out former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for failing to settle a compound given to him during the Johor election, which had concluded on March 12.
According to Khairy, the Pekan MP has also yet to acknowledge four other compounds posted to him on March 17.
“The Health Ministry also hopes that Najib will receive four other compounds that had been previously sent through registered post,” Khairy said, claiming that Najib’s officers had refused to accept the package containing the compounds.
Yesterday, Najib had asked why the Iskandar Puteri MP was not fined for hugging other DAP members after he announced his decision to retire from politics in an emotional moment at the congress.
Najib had also suggested that DAP MPs who had hugged Lim at the congress quarantine themselves and stay away from Parliament.
Soon after it was reported that Lim had tested positive, it was made known that PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had also been infected with the virus.
The Port Dickson MP was also present at the closed-door DAP event, along with thousands of other party officials, observers, and members of the media.
According to Lim’s political secretary Syahredzan Johan, the DAP mentor is now undergoing quarantine in line with usual protocols. Similarly, Anwar’s private secretary Shukri Saad said that the opposition leader will be quarantined for seven days.
Responding to Khairy’s tweet, Najib took to Facebook to air his dissatisfaction with the ministry’s decision to only compound one person out of the group of people at the event involved in the SOP flouting.
“Kit Siang is the only one to receive a compound? But there were dozens of people going around hugging each other,” he said, adding that while he is unclear why his compounds are part of Khairy’s tweet about Lim, he will be paying his dues.
“I don’t know why Lim’s compound has been related to me but I will pay your five compounds towards me,” he said. – The Vibes, March 22, 2022
