Ex-contractor jailed 14 days, fined RM1,000 for flouting quarantine order

A former contractor was sentenced to 14 days in jail and fined RM1,000 today for failing to self-quarantine as ordered by the health ministry after returning from Sabah where he had gone to vote in the recent state election.

Magistrate Muhammad Nazrin Ali Rahim handed down the sentence on Md Syafrizan Salleh, 32, after he pleaded guilty to the offence. His jail term will begin today.

The court also ordered the father-of-two, who hails from Papar, Sabah, to be jailed another seven days if he fails to pay the fine.

“You should have acted responsibly and understood that the self-quarantine was necessary after you returned to the peninsula from a high-risk area, to ensure that you were really healthy and would not infect others because if you were (Covid-19) positive, it would have had an impact on the lives and safety of others,” Nazrin told Syafrizan.

Syafrizan was alleged to have violated the order issued by the health ministry on Sept 29 to quarantine himself at Bangunan Pentadbiran Persiaran Penapisan Sungai Udang in Melaka.

He was charged under Section 24 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, which provides for a jail term of up to two years, a fine or both.

Prosecuting officer ASP Nora Yaacob appeared for the prosecution while Syafrizan was represented by a trainee lawyer.

Outside the court, Nora said Syafrizan returned to Kota Kinabalu on Sept 26 to vote in the state election. When he returned to the peninsula, he was to self-quarantine for 14 days from Sept 28 to Oct 11 under the home surveillance order and to wear the pink wristband.

She said based on investigations, Syafrizan had instead left the quarantine centre to work and buy daily necessities.