At a press conference in Parliament today, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim also said that the decision to extend the Dewan Rakyat sitting by a day – to Monday – to debate the controversial amendments reflected badly on the government.
“It is impossible for us to even consider the health ministry’s proposal to increase the compounds from RM1,000 to a maximum of RM10,000,” the PH chairman said.
“We need time to examine every aspect (of the amendment). What we want to stress the most is the increase in compounds for individuals. This will really be burdensome and we cannot accept this at all.”
Anwar then called out health minister Khairy Jamaluddin for requesting the extension so as to allow the select committees to meet on Monday at 9am and for the debates in the Dewan Rakyat to start at 10am.
“This shows a few weaknesses, as the debates are too rushed,” said the PKR president, who was flanked by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng and Amanah president Mohamad Sabu.
The Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Bill 2021 was scheduled to be tabled for its second reading and voted on today, which was supposed to be the last day of the current Dewan Rakyat session.
However, the second and third readings will now be deferred to Monday, this after Speaker Azhar Harun said Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob had consented to the extension of the current session.
PH has been among the most vocal critics of the proposed amendments, which include higher compounds and jail terms, as announced by Khairy during an interview on a RTM programme on Sunday night.
Currently, all compound fines issued under the act are capped at RM1,000.
The ministry issued a revised bill yesterday, halving the maximum compound fine for companies to RM500,000 but maintaining the RM10,000 fine for individuals.
General penalties for offences that do not have a specific punishment have also been revised. In the original revised 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.
Lim, meanwhile, said he wanted to clarify that PH was absolutely against any increase in the compounds for individuals to RM10,000 and for companies to RM1 million.
“It used to be between RM1,000 and RM50,000, but now they’ve been multiplied. And as for the seven-year jail sentence, that is just not necessary,” he said.
“Efforts to battle Covid-19 have to be based on prevention or mitigation, not just depend on compounds. When the Covid-19 pandemic is not under control, it’s not the rakyat’s fault but that of a weak government administration.
“Don’t blame the rakyat again, don’t burden them again, and don’t give them heavier punishments, which I feel will not solve the problem.”