AS the Government is insisting on amending Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342), politicians and the public took to social media to vent out against it.
Trending #LawanPindaan342, netizens accused the Government of trying to punish COVID-19 standard operation procedure (SOP) violators as equals to kidnappers and murderers.
User Socialcrates added:
“It doesn’t make sense to have punishments that are way harsher than for murder. Families are already unable to sustain normal lives, and they don’t need to live in further tyranny.
“9am. Keluar dan Lawan (Go out and fight).”
Under the new amendment being pushed at the Dewan Rakyat, companies and organisations found flouting COVID-19 will be fined RM1 mil, with jail time imposed.
Individuals found flouting the rules will be fined RM10,000, as opposed to the current maximum of RM1,000.
However, the proposal was panned by many, resulting in Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin to reduce fines for companies to RM500,000.
Realising the uproar, the Rembau MP pleaded with the public to support the measure to contain the Omicron variant’s spread and vowed there will be no double standard in meting out punishment.
However, netizens were not buying into Khairy’s pleas and called for the amendment to be dropped.
(Before this, people got compounded RM10,000 or more for not wearing face masks, Now, the Government is proposing additional measures claiming it is not enough. Under the proposal, the people can be fined up to RM100,000 and jailed for seven years for not wearing face masks. What nonsense is it?) asked Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
Veteran child’s right advocate Dr Amar Singh was curious on why the Government was hell-bent on pushing the proposed legislation despite huge outcry.
“All of us have watched this unfold with horror. Wonder why it is being pushed so hard & fast? Especially by a Government that practices double standards and had poor insight.”
This is crazy, Najib says
On related matters, former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak took to Facebook to criticise the amendment and announced he would not support it fearing double standards.
“This is crazy. The people are already angry that the Government event last week was only fined for RM1,000 while others got slapped with higher compounds.
“Even my event got fined for RM20,000. Few months back, I got fined for RM3,000 for not scanning my entry into a chicken rice shop using MySejahtera.
“And the poor stall operator got fined for RM10,000 for not being able to verify whether I scanned or otherwise,” the Pekan MP remarked. – Dec 16, 2021.
