Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali today apologised to Malaysians for breaching the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and regulations.

He will also return his salaries as a minister from May to August, and contribute the amount to the National Disaster Relief Fund (COVID-19 Fund).

In a statement, Mohd Khairuddin said it was his responsibility as a minister to comply with the regulations and SOPs, throughout the RMCO period.

"To show my responsibility, I will return all my salaries as Minister from May to August this year and contribute the amount to the COVID-19 Fund under the Health Ministry," he said.

Apart from that, he also informed that he has donated the salaries received for March and April this year to the same fund as per the decision of the Cabinet previously.

"I will continue to work hard and redouble all my efforts and energy to carry out the task as a Minister, to ensure that all the people involved in plantations and commodities, especially the over one million B40 smallholders always benefit and look after their welfare," he said.

The Health Ministry in a statement today said it had issued a RM1,000 compound against Mohd Khairuddin on Aug 7, for offences under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020 and Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).

Mohd Khairuddin has paid the compound.

The Minister reportedly returned from Turkey on July 7 and the first nasopharyngeal swab sample was taken on the same day and was found to be negative. The second and third COVID-19 screening tests also showed negative results.

Earlier, Seputeh member of Parliament Teresa Kok claimed that the minister did not undergo the 14 days quarantine after returning from a visit to Turkey.

As a result, Mohd Khairuddin, who is also a PAS central committee member, was criticised by many parties because the minister himself did not comply with the SOPs set by the authorities, in particular defying the quarantine instructions for Malaysian citizens returning home from abroad.

-- BERNAMA