He said the state government held a meeting with the college, Kampar Health Department and Perak Health Department recently and decided that the students did not have to pay the compounds.

“The case is settled and the students did not have to pay a single sen of the compounds imposed on them. So, they don’t have to worry. I also met with the father of one of the students and told him that the case has been settled.

“I assisted to solve their problems because they will be sitting for an examination, and I don’t want their studies to be disturbed,” he told a media conference after visiting the Selama health clinic here, today.

On April 19, the story of the six students being issued compounds by the health ministry after they were found not wearing masks went viral.

The incident received criticisms from netizens who questioned the action of the ministry because the students were said to have been staying at the college for the past five months and were not allowed to go out.

The students were reported to have been issued the RM1,500 compounds each for either not wearing a mask or placing it under the chin.

Meanwhile, Akmal said 30 committee members of two mosques in Kamunting and Taiping were tested positive for Covid-19.

He said of the total, 27 individuals were committee members and worshippers at Kampung Expo Mosque, Kamunting and three from Pokok Assam Mosque in Taiping.

He said investigations found that a committee member of Kampung Expo Mosque had gone to Pangkor and was involved in a “tadarus” (group recitation of Quran) activity at a mosque.

Akmal, who is also Selama assemblyman, said swab tests were conducted on congregation members at both mosques to determine if they had Covid-19.

“The swab tests on the other congregation members are not known yet. Compulsory prayers at the mosques are only limited to the committee members,” he added.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST DATA ON THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA