NETIZENS have rallied against a teenager who was fined RM1,000 after removing his face mask temporarily while on the train platform. Many questioned the uneven enforcement of the mandatory face mask rule for certain groups of people.

Background

The government announced the wearing of a face mask in crowded public places be made mandatory beginning August 1.

The public is required to wear a face mask in public transportation (buses, trains, LRT, taxi and e-hailing vehicles), markets, including farmers' markets, cinemas, places of worships, hospitals, malls, salons, restaurants, workshops, at social events and any crowded areas.

Individuals can face a hefty fine of RM1,000 for failing to comply with the ruling.

Why it matters?

Recently, media coverage showing a teenager helplessly crying at the train platform after being compounded for temporarily removing his face mask went viral and caused outrage amongst netizens.

While the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) officer stressed that many Malaysians have given excuses for disobeying the rule, netizens felt that PDRM had been unfair in its enforcement.

Even Muar Member of Parliament, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman emphasized that while enforcement is necessary, the PDRM should treat citizens with compassion.

Many pointed their fingers at politicians who have been pictured at crowded public events with no face mask in sight, questioning whether they are above the rule.

To put things into perspective

Penalties to those disobeying the face mask rule are not anything new as several countries have adopted even more strict punishments for those who flout the rule.

Singapore, for example, imposed a fine of S$300 (RM919) for those caught not wearing a face mask in public areas in their first offence, while those caught a second time will be fined S$1,000 (RM3,065).

In countries such as Qatar and Morroco, a jail sentence is also considered as punishment on top of a fine with the former imposing a whopping 200,000 riyal (RM225,000) fine and up to three years in jail to rulebreakers.

With regards to politicians caught not wearing a face mask, on top of enforcers treating them equally to normal citizens who flout the rules, a sense of awareness should be ingrained in them as netizens view them as role models.

United States President Donald Trump, for example, has been critized in many occasions for his refusal to wear a face mask, that may have resulted in his supporters taking the action lightly while the country is severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In line with the ruling, the government has also assisted in the purchase of face mask with the recent lowering of the ceiling price for three-ply surgical face masks to RM1 at the retail level and 95 sen for wholesalers.