The original amendment bill was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, but the updates were distributed to MPs today, according to CodeBlue.
In the revised bill, the maximum compound of RM10,000 for offences under Act 342 has been maintained, but the maximum compound for companies has been halved to RM500,000.
Currently, all compounds issued under the act are subject to a RM1,000 cap.
General penalties for offences in the act that do not have a specific punishment have also been revised. While in the original amendment bill, individuals were subject to a fine of up to RM100,000, imprisonment of up to seven years, or both, this was changed to RM50,000 and three years in jail.
The proposed maximum general penalty of a RM2 million fine for companies has not changed.
Under the existing act, general penalties for all offenders are lower, with a jail term of up to two years, a fine or both for a first offence, and imprisonment not exceeding five years, a fine or both for subsequent offences.
The amendment bill does not differentiate between first and subsequent offences for general penalties.
General penalties are also used when offenders are unable to pay a compound and are later charged in court.
The last change involved penalties imposed if convicted of breaching Act 342 “regulations”.
These include specific Covid-19 offences like removing one’s electronic bracelet while under quarantine or breaching movement restrictions, and can be gazetted by the health minister without parliamentary approval.
While breaches by any offender were set to be punishable by a fine of up to RM50,000, up to two years in jail or both, this has been changed to a fine not exceeding RM20,000, up to three years in jail or both for individuals, and a fine of up to RM1 million for companies.
Politicians as well as the public had expressed outrage over the initial proposed changes.
The opposition led by Anwar Ibrahim, as well as several Umno leaders including former prime minister Najib Razak had said they would not vote for the amendments because they considered the penalties excessive and disproportionate.