Senior minister Azmin Ali and his family members will be summoned by police to give their statements over a claim by his estranged younger sister, Ummi Hafilda Ali, that he had breached Hari Raya SOPs by having “a huge gathering” at his residence.
Ummi Hafilda and the General Operations Force personnel stationed at his residence will also be called up to give their statements as a police report was lodged over Ummi Halfilda’s Facebook post on May 14.
In the post that went viral, she alleged that members of the family violated the interstate travel ban to celebrate Raya together, when others could not travel across districts, even to visit the graves of their family members.
On May 13, Azmin had uploaded a series of photographs of his children and their spouses. One photo depicted them with his grandchildren.
Following this, netizens poured scorn on Azmin, accusing him of allowing visitors, who likely had to cross district borders, despite the authorities banning house visits.
Movement control order rules, which took effect on May 12, stipulated that Hari Raya house visits or visits to the gravesite was prohibited.
Ummi, on her Facebook page, accused Azmin of being a beneficiary of double standards since his family could gather.
“People are angry. You came back (from the Middle East) without having to quarantine.
“Are you invincible? Did you get a shot of ketum vaccine?” asked Ummi.
District police chief Mohd Fadzil Ali said initial investigations found that the Hari Raya gathering was among the minister’s family members, who lived under the same roof.
“A statement from the officer in charge of the security post at the minister’s home said that no guests came in on May 13,” he said today.
Fadzil also advised the general public to be cautious in making statements without basis that may tarnish the image of others.
Under the SOPs, family members who lived in the same district were allowed to visit each other at their homes on the first day of Raya, but only a maximum of 15 people were allowed at any given time, subject to the size of the house.
Earlier report: May 14, Social media users roast Azmin over potential Raya SOP breaches