But is a fine alone enough to serve as a lesson to these offenders, and deter others from doing the same?

Lawyer Adi Zulkarnain Zulkafli believes that if a lenient sentence is imposed, it will leave a negative impact or perception on the legal system.

He called for an appropriate punishment which commensurates the offence to be imposed to assure the general public that no special treatment has been given to celebrities or social media influencers, who are also called “instafamous”.

“The instafamous and celebrities in this country can be considered as ‘public figures’. Their behaviour, as well as their personality, influences their followers or fans.

“Therefore, a heavier punishment should be imposed on them to convey the message that there is no ‘double standard’,” he told Bernama.

He said by meting out a harsher punishment, it would make the public think twice about violating the SOPs, especially because the action against these celebrities would be given wide coverage by the media.

Adi Zulkarnain said a punishment is intended to serve as a lesson to offenders so that they will not repeat their mistake.

On April 20, instafamous Iram Naz Hafiz Sabir Muhammed and her husband, Azharique Shah Abdul Jalil, were sentenced to a day in jail and a RM2,500 fine each by the magistrates’ court here for giving false information to the police when applying for interstate travel.

Celebrity Neelofa, whose real name is Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor, was fined RM20,000 for violating the SOPs during her marriage solemnisation ceremony, and also for interstate travel, while her husband, Muhammad Haris Mohd Ismail, was compounded RM10,000 for also violating procedures on interstate travel.

On May 4, an instafamous was fined RM1,500 for not wearing a face mask in a Hari Raya video which was uploaded on social media. A few policemen were also featured in the video.