They should set a good example to others by following the regulations under the movement control order, he said, following backlash on social media to reports about dignitaries attending large gatherings during their official visits.

He said the VIPs should follow the rules the government themselves have put in place to battle the Covid-19 pandemic.

“But it seems that they view themselves as ‘special’, so they do not need to follow the government’s orders,” he said in a video posting, adding that “in Malaysia, we follow the rule of law, and the law doesn’t discriminate, everybody must follow the law.”

He said the rules made under the MCO were based on law, and should apply to everyone.

Yesterday, allegations of a deputy minister failing to observe social distancing rules were shared on social media with photographs showing many people gathering and eating together.

Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the police had received a report on the actions of several dignitaries who apparently flouted the MCO by holding gatherings.

He said the matter had been handed over to the police for further action.

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