TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Malaysia's Deputy Health Minister Noor Azmi Ghazali and Perak executive council member Razman Zakaria on Tuesday (April 28) both pleaded guilty to breaching the Movement Control Order (MCO) after they were spotted attending a lunch event two weeks ago.

According to CNA, the two government officials were charged along with 13 other individuals who were also spotted having lunch in the Malaysian town of Lenggong on April 18. The duo has each been fined RM$1,000 (US$229) after pleading guilty to their charge at the Gerik Magistrate's Court Tuesday.

In a Facebook post, Ghazali shared a photo of him visiting an Islamic school for health inspection purposes before having lunch with others. However, the photo soon attracted waves of criticism, with many netizens accusing Ghazali of setting a bad example for Malaysians amidst the current Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Ghazali and Zakaria have become the first politicians in the Southeast Asian nation to be charged with violating pandemic-related regulations.

In an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the Malaysian government announced the MCO in early March, placing bans on foreign travelers and large domestic gatherings and even extending the order three times before settling on May 12, according to Liberty Times. As of Tuesday afternoon, Malaysia has recorded 5,820 coronavirus cases, including 99 deaths.