KUALA LUMPUR – “I apologise on the confusion after several media contacted me and asked me about the video of me at a farm and I had answered the question without watching the video earlier.
“I only had the chance to analyse the video after having an audience with the Yang diPertuan Agong,” said the Deputy Speaker of Dewan Rakyat, Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon as reported by AstroAwani on the durian feast viral video.
After studying the video yesterday, he confessed that it was his visit to a kampung durian farm owned by the locals who are also affected by the Movement Control Order (MCO).
Coincidently, the Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin was having a work visit to Batu Pahat, thus, he gave some durians to the entourage of the minister to bring home.
He further explained that after the entourage went home, he was brought to the farm by one of the farmer in the evening to discuss about the problems they are facing.
“When I arrived at the farm, the farmer served the durian to us.
“I had some durian while discussing about the assistance that we could provide to the farm,” said Mohd Rashid who is also the MP of Batu Pahat.
He said, since the implementation of the first MCO, he often receive complaints from small farmers about the difficulty in selling their crops.
The viral video showed the MP along with over 10 people gathering at the farm, eating durian and most of them did not wear face mask or practice social distancing.
Mohd Rashid also stated his readiness to cooperate with the police following the incident.
On Tuesday, the Batu Pahat District Police Chief ACP Ismail Dollah said that an investigation paper has been opened following a police report lodged on the video showing the activity of the MP enjoying the durian on social media. –MalaysiaGazette
