KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — The police said they are investigating a Hari Raya celebration video featuring the family of a “local celebrity” and will be calling up the family members for questioning, amid furore against controversial entrepreneur Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor.
In a statement today, Brickfields police chief Assistant Commissioner Anuar Omar said that a police report was lodged over the video yesterday which showed the family celebrating Aidilfitri together, even as this was banned under the movement control order (MCO).
"Initial investigations showed that the 26-second viral video was uploaded via the Instagram account of the said local celebrity's sister,” he said.
He said the case is still under police investigation under Section 17 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2021.
Under this law, which was gazetted by the government on May 9 and which came into effect on May 10, any person who breaches the regulations commits an offence which is punishable by a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or to imprisonment not exceeding six months or both.
"We will be calling them up anytime. Give the police space to carry our investigation," Anuar said.
He also advised the public against making any speculations regarding the video, warning that anyone who violates the stipulated laws, including violating their interstate travel permits, would be penalised.
Though Anuar did not name the celebrity and her family members, he is believed to be referring to Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor and her sister, Noor Nabila.
Neelofa has once again sparked controversy after social media users accused her of violating Covid-19 rules on the first day of Hari Raya.
Online users called out the 32-year-old actress for violating the movement control order standard operating procedures (SOP), which prohibited family visits during the Hari Raya festivities.
The controversy came shortly after Neelofa’s sister allegedly uploaded a short clip of her family members greeting each other at a residence believed to be Neelofa’s house in Ampang.
The video clip, which has since been removed, was reportedly captioned 1 Syawal yang penuh mulia, which translates to “a glorious 1st day of Syawal”.
Based on screenshots circulating on social media, the people seen in the video include Neelofa, her televangelist husband PU Riz as well as Nabila, who can be see greeting two other people.
It was initially reported that the ceremony was suspected to have taken place at Neelofa’s residence in Hulu Kelang, Ampang.
The controversial celebrity and 20 members of her family were previously fined a total RM60,000 for following her wedding ceremony in March.
Shortly after that, Neelofa was embroiled in another controversy after the newlyweds were photographed enjoying watersports activities on the holiday island of Langkawi although the police had said that the permit for interstate travel to Langkawi issued to her was only for work purposes and not for a honeymoon.
The couple were recently called to the Nilai police headquarters to record their statements for allegedly crossing state borders to shop for Persian carpets at the Nilai 3 Business Centre branch of Naeem Carpet.
