KUALA LUMPUR – RapidKL’s reminder for commuters to wear masks appears to have struck a nerve among netizens, who pointed out ostensible double standards when it comes to politicians.
Earlier today, the rail operator’s customer service support Twitter account @AskRapidKL posted a poster reminding bus and train passengers that they will not be allowed to board if they fail to wear masks.
Ingat! Anda WAJIB memakai pelitup muka ketika menaiki tren dan juga bas.
— Ask Rapid KL (@askrapidkl) May 30, 2023
Sama-sama kita mengamalkan tahap kebersihan diri yang tinggi ketika menggunakan pengangkutan awam.#rapidkl #COVID19 @KKMPutrajaya pic.twitter.com/cXSNIuZvw6
“It is mandatory for you to wear a face mask at all times when using public transportation. Without a face mask, you will not be allowed to access the public transport system,” the poster read.
Responding to the message, several Twitter users shared a clip posted by former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob that saw him and former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin heading to an MRT station without masks.
Lepas lepak dan makan di Jalan Alor, saya balik ke rumah naik MRT, dengan Khairy Jamaludin (KJ) dari Jalan Alor, ke Semantan.
— Ismail Sabri (@IsmailSabri60) May 28, 2023
Walaupun sudah jam 11 malam masih ramai yang menggunakan MRT. Ia sudah menjadi pengangkutan utama. pic.twitter.com/6nvWPB52ku
“After hanging out and eating at Jalan Alor, I went home using the MRT with (Khairy) from Jalan Alor to Semantan.
“Even though it was 11pm, there were still many passengers using the MRT services. It has become our main mode of transportation,” Ismail Sabri, who is also Bera MP, said in the tweet posted on May 28.
The former ministers and their entourage were not wearing masks, which led netizens to flood the comments section of Ismail Sabri’s tweet with the reminder posted by RapidKL.
“Salam @AskRapidKL, will this not cause (Ismail Sabri and Khairy) to be chased away by auxiliary police? I am just asking, because this is a similar situation with that other YB, (where) even the @AskRapidKL admin has retweeted the post.
“Are you (RapidKL) practicing double standards towards VVIPs?” posted a user known as @keppyyomar.
While the user did not clarify which lawmaker he was referring to, other users have shared Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin’s video on April 29 of her taking the MRT without a mask to check on the stations in her constituency.
Ni satu lagi https://t.co/Oc3GrbIxRE
— Junos (@sayamexican) May 30, 2023
A number of Twitter users also called on RapidKL to enforce the mask rules, with some highlighting how there is proof of such misconduct as seen in the videos posted by the politicians themselves.
“Call them out. Make them apologise. They were the ones who made face masks mandatory, but they are not wearing masks themselves,” user @xatyrosdi said.
Another user, @AditRahim, urged the government to issue strict and formal directives to the corporate communications unit of ministries to be mindful of such rules.
“None of our leaders should be seen flaunting or disregarding regulations otherwise punitively enforced on the rakyat,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by user @fizah_alias, who alleged that enforcement officers act unfairly towards regular citizens, in comparison with politicians.
“Why is it that when people like me don’t wear our masks on the train and stations, we are scolded by auxiliary police, but when (Ismail Sabri) and (Khairy) are unmasked they (police) pretend to not know anything and even greet them like it’s a party?”
In September last year, then-health minister Khairy had said masks would no longer be mandatory indoors, except on public transport and in healthcare facilities. – The Vibes, May 30, 2023
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