GEORGE TOWN – Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor is expected to be charged with violating Covid-19 standard operating procedures during his stopover at Penang’s Juru Auto City en route to Kuala Lumpur last month.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Abd Jalil Hassan told The Malaysian Insight that police have received instructions from the public prosecutor’s office to charge the Kedah menteri besar at the magistrates’ court in Bukit Mertajam next week.
With this, Sanusi, who is also state PAS commissioner, would be the first menteri besar to be charged with an offence linked to lockdown rules.
Social media was abuzz after photos and videos of a man, believed to be Sanusi, test-driving a vehicle amid the Covid-19 lockdown were widely shared.
The SOPs state that vehicle sales and exhibition centres are not allowed to operate.
Sanusi in a June 7 press conference said he was on his way to Kuala Lumpur for meetings with investors when the incident happened.
Accompanied by his driver and a police escort, he decided to stop at Juru to buy snacks at a convenience store there, in anticipation of food outlets being closed by the time they arrived in the federal capital.
“The shop was located near the car showroom, and we stopped next to the showroom. I asked my driver to buy bread and drinks.
“I saw a lot of cars in the showroom, and upon stepping out of my car, I saw a man inside the showroom moving vehicles. I think greeting people does not violate the SOPs.”
Sanusi said the salesman, who introduced himself as “Mr Ong”, was cleaning a vehicle, but the showroom was closed to the public.
Ong, whom Sanusi described as friendly and kind, showed him the Ford Raptor and took him on a ride.
“He drove, not me. And, he took (the truck) to an area where there was plenty of parking. He told me that the price of the truck was RM200,000, and I said I couldn’t afford it.
“It was when I was looking at another vehicle model that I noticed someone recording a video, a woman, who suddenly shouted at Ong. This took me by surprise.
“I was subsequently called to get into my car so we could continue our trip to Kuala Lumpur.
“I will give detailed information about this to police, who will record my statement later in the evening.”
He said he was upset that the woman did not verify what actually happened before posting the video on social media.
He also expressed concern about what would happen to the salesman following the incident. – The Vibes, July 16, 2021
