Kuala Lumpur:
With Malaysians stuck at home due to a coronavirus outbreak, meals delivery services are increasingly common — but one buyer has sparked an outcry by sending a helicopter across the nation to gather a rice dish.
Police are investigating an alleged breach of virus guidelines just after the aircraft landed in Ipoh city to choose up 36 portions of the rice dish and returned to Kuala Lumpur, 180 kilometres (110 miles) away.
Authorities have imposed a lockdown to battle a widespread Covid-19 outbreak, with individuals largely staying at home and travel involving states banned except in exceptional situations.
Social media lit up with anger just after pictures circulated on the web of the helicopter landing in a field at the weekend to choose up the takeaway from a effectively-recognized Ipoh eatery.
“What kind of nonsense is this?” one user posted on Twitter.
“There are people who can’t travel back home to attend… funerals or to see their loved ones for one last time, because it’s not a valid enough reason to get them a travel permit.”
The dish, which commonly consists of fish, meat, vegetables and curry sauce, is popularly recognized as “nasi ganja” due to its supposedly addictive nature — even though it does not include any drugs.
Police say the red helicopter had been granted permission to fly outdoors the capital but only for upkeep, not to gather meals.
They have taken statements from numerous individuals, like the owners of the restaurant and the helicopter, and prosecutors will determine whether or not to take additional action.
The identity of the buyer is not clear, but the helicopter owner has defended the uncommon delivery.
“All papers were in order… it was a quick pick-up,” Mohamed Raffe Chekku told regional media outlet Free Malaysia Today.
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