Annuar had been chastised by social media users for flouting standard operating procedures by walking in a group of more than two but he said the trio had not walked as a group.

The federal territories minister said that he, former director-general of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Nordin Razak and former Kelantan Football Association treasurer Nik Aminaldin Jaafar were brisk walking separately.

“It was a coincidence that we bumped into each other for a while and then we went our separate ways.

“No issue,” he said in a tweet.

When DAP’s M Kula Segaran pointed out that no action was taken although the trio had not observed social distancing and were not wearing face masks, Annuar said the former human resources minister had run out of political ammunition.

While sporting and recreational activities are prohibited during the movement control order (MCO), jogging and cycling are still allowed. Jogging can be done in pairs but cycling must be done individually.

Despite this, however, some of Annuar’s followers took him to task over his response on the micro-blogging site.

One Twitter user known as Harian Becok wondered if it was “okay” for the general public to coincidentally bump into friends during the MCO.

Another user, Muhammad Anas, said authorities would not accept such an excuse if it was given by the man on the street. He also called on Annuar to apologise and pay the RM1,000 fine.

Croc Avengers said that even if the meet was a coincidence, the grassroots and rakyat were watching him.