Both the Consumers’ Association of Subang and Shah Alam (Cassa) and the Federation of Malaysian Consumers’ Associations (Fomca) urged the government to exercise compassion.

Cassa president Jacob George said Putrajaya must show that it “has a heart” at a time when “job losses are rampant”.

He said government agencies needed to engage with consumer bodies in addressing issues affecting livelihoods and not allow “pencil pushers to come up with uncaring and insensitive policies”.

He said offenders could instead be sentenced to community service, as is done in several countries.

“It has worked globally and it allows people to give back to the community for whatever wrongs they have done.”

Fomca president Marimuthu Nadason called for a review of the fine, saying the government needed to understand that people would sometimes break rules because they could not avoid doing so.

He gave the example of a woman without a driving licence who was caught driving her sick husband to hospital.

“She had no choice. The government needs to show it is caring towards people who may be in situations that compel them to break rules,” he said.

Marimuthu added that Putrajaya should improve its effort to educate people on the rules and punishments and to act with “love and affection, like a good parent”.

The increase in the penalty from RM1,000 to RM10,000 is provided for in the Emergency (Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases) (Amendment) Ordinance, which came into force on March 11.

Marimuthu criticised the provision as “shallow and in poor taste” in the context of the public’s struggle to make ends meet.

Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador recently said the maximum compound fine of RM10,000 was aimed at repeat offenders and the health ministry would develop a system to record their names.

He added that it was the duty of the police to just issue the summons with the maximum fine and that it was up to the district health office to reduce the amount as they deem fit.