The AGC said Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali had no case to answer because he was not issued a home surveillance order by the health ministry officer at the airport.
In a statement, the AGC said a home surveillance or observation order would have to be issued under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 or Act 342.
“After full consideration and deliberation of all available evidence, this Chambers finds that there was no home surveillance or observation order issued by the authorised officer in the exercise of his discretion to the minister for him to observe such home surveillance or observation order as stipulated under subsection 15(1) of Act 342 as alleged by the complainant.”
Earlier today, Bukit Aman CID chief Huzir Mohamed said the case involving Khairuddin had been classified under “no further action” or NFA.
The AGC said Khairuddin “was allowed to return to his residence by the authorised officer from the ministry of health” upon his return from Turkey.
“Form 14b as prescribed in the guidelines by the ministry of health which contained an order for home surveillance and/or observation order under subsection 15(1) of Act 342 had never been issued to the minister before he was allowed to leave. For an act to be considered as an offence of breaking a home quarantine order under Act 342, the home surveillance or observation order is required to be issued to the minister under subsection 15(1) of Act 342.”
Accordingly, the AGC said, it had decided to not prefer any charge against the minister due to “insufficient evidence”.
All returnees from overseas from June 10 to July 23 were to undergo a 14-day quarantine at home under the Home Surveillance Order. This was then changed to returnees having to be quarantined at designated hotels or quarantine centres.
Khairuddin faced criticism from various quarters in August for violating the order when he attended a Dewan Rakyat meeting shortly after returning from Turkey on July 7.
He was subsequently issued a RM1,000 compound by the health ministry and had been under investigation by the police.
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok has since demanded that the health ministry to explain why Khairuddin was not issued the form to undergo quarantine upon returning from Turkey.