Over the past few months, Malaysians on social media have been joking about an inevitable COVID-19 cluster, dubbed “Kluster Menteri”, after several politicians were caught on camera violating SOPs in public.
But it wasn’t until recently that some politicians actually started testing positive for COVID-19, and here’s who we have so far:
January 20th
Photo via Berita Harian
Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman has tested positive for COVID-19, after undergoing a screening yesterday (January 19th).
The news doesn't come as a surprise, as Tajuddin attended the press conference on January 12th along with Padang Rengas MP Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz, who revealed yesterday he too had tested positive.
Nazri announced he tested positive after having come into close contact with another COVID-19 positive patient, who was also present at the same press conference (read below).
January 19th
Photo via Malay Mail
Padang Rengas MP Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz has tested positive for COVID-19, and is currently being treated at Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.
Nazri went for a screening after discovering he had been in close contact with a COVID-19 positive patient, UMNO blogger Datuk Zaharin Mohd Yasin, who attended his press conference in Kuala Lumpur on January 12th and announced he had contracted the virus on his blog four days later.
Photo via EdgeProp
Also testing positive today, National Unity Minister, Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique, who becomes the latest Cabinet member to contract COVID-19.
The Kota Tinggi MP went for a screening test yesterday (January 18th), and will undergo treatment and quarantine in Johor Bahru.
January 14th
Photo via Yahoo
Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah tested positive for COVID-19.
According to Astro AWANI, the 84-year-old UMNO veteran, better known as Ku Li, is not experiencing any health complications and is in stable condition.
It’s believed he was in close contact with Kelantan’s Nenggiri assemblyman Ab Aziz Yusoff, who tested positive for COVID-19 recently, along with Gua Musang UMNO youth chief Mohd Azmawi Fikri Abdul Ghani.
Meanwhile, Ku Li’s officer Lokman Abdul Ghani had also tested positive and is undergoing treatment at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL).
January 13th
Photo via The Star
Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin has tested positive for COVID-19.
It’s understood that he did a screening test upon returning to Kuala Lumpur from Penang on Monday (January 11th) and has been taken to Hospital Sungai Buloh for further treatment.
Zahidi had taken another COVID-19 test on December 25th last year, which turned out negative.
January 12th
Photo via Malay Mail
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin is the third Cabinet minister in a matter of days to test positive for COVID-19.
In an official statement, his ministry asked all those who came into close contact with Hamzah from January 8th to 11th to present themselves to a district health office for a COVID-19 screening.
January 11th
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun tested positive for COVID-19, last night (January 10th).
In an official statement, Rina apologised for any difficulty arising from her diagnosis, and ensured that all matters related to welfare works, the protection and empowerment of targeted groups, and ministry operations will run as usual.
January 10th
Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed has tested positive for COVID-19.
According to Malaysiakini, the Jeli MP had returned to Kelantan yesterday (January 9th) for a routine visit to his constituency, before taking a swab test and tested positive.
He previously tested negative for COVID-19 on January 1st.
by Kyle Roshen Jacob
