The reviewed bill, slated to be tabled in March, will keep the maximum fines for individuals to RM10,000 but halve the maximum compound for companies to RM500,000.

All compounds under the Act are capped at RM1,000 currently.

“Individuals and companies have suffered enough and should not be burdened under the current economic recession with heavier fines subject to the discretion of the government,” Lim said in a statement today.

He also said Pakatan Harapan had decided not to support amending Act 342 previously, as the bill had “wide space for abuse of power, corruption and double standards”.

Earlier today, FMT reported that some Umno MPs hoped to trigger a general election by opposing the bill to amend Act 342, expected to be tabled when Parliament reconvenes for its new session in March.

The rift in Umno is said to be widening between a camp backing Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob and another supporting party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Meanwhile, PH insiders said the coalition was split over whether to continue supporting Ismail under a memorandum of understanding signed last September.

Tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat in December, the amendments initially proposed a maximum fine of RM1 million on companies and organisations and up to RM10,000 on individuals who flout Covid-19 SOPs. Jail terms were also to be imposed.

The bill was later revised, though PH maintained that it would not support the amendment.