PETALING JAYA,Mar 15: A government department has denied claims that housing and local government minister Zuraida Kamaruddin had breached Covid-19 rules in a cycling event on Saturday.
In a statement, the Landscape Department said the event was not a “fun ride” as claimed on social media and that Covid-19 rules were adhered to at all times.
This comes after two lawyers and an MP asked authorities to conduct an independent probe into Zuraida’s alleged movement control order (MCO) violation involving the event.
They said the enforcement of MCO regulations must be equally applied to everyone, after netizens flayed the Ampang MP for taking part in a prohibited activity under the current order to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
The department said the event was a recreational activity allowed under conditional MCO rules.
“The activity was not a ‘fun ride’ as it was not opened to the public nor was it a competition involving spectators,” it said.
It said all 30 cyclists who took part were employees from the department and SWCorp. They also picked up rubbish while jogging.
“The Landscape Department always adheres to the government’s instructions on SOPs,” it said, adding all Covid-19 rules, including the scanning of temperature, physical distancing and the use of hand sanitisers, were adhered to.
Zuraida had come under fire after a Facebook post showed her flagging off what seemed to be a bicycle “fun ride” at Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.
According to the National Security Council (MKN), all activities involving large gatherings, which make it difficult to practise physical distancing, are not allowed.
They include fun runs, fun rides, marathons and triathlons.
