Amendments to Act 342 focus of Dewan Rakyat Thursday

KUALA LUMPUR: Amendments to the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) will be the focus of the last day of the Second Meeting of the Fourth Term of the 14th Parliament today.

The Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Bill 2021 which includes increasing the maximum compound on individuals and corporate organisations violating the law was tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday.

The amendments proposed that the value of the compound be increased from RM1,000 to RM1 million for a corporate body, while for individual offences, a fine of up to RM10,000 could be imposed, as compared to the current maximum of RM1,000.

However, several members of Parliament have expressed concern over the excessive fines and compounds imposed under the bill.

Yesterday, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin was reported to have said that the amendments would act as an additional 'weapon' in facing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, the issue of child marriage is also expected to be discussed at today's sitting.

According to the Order Paper of the Dewan Rakyat, the matter will be raised during the Ministers' Question Time by P. Kasthuriraani (PH-Batu Kawan).

She is scheduled to ask the Prime Minister on the government's efforts to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 years and the measures to abolish the child marriage practice.

Focus will also be on Rubiah Wang's (GPS-Kota Samarahan) question to the Prime Minister on the government's preparedness to reopen the country's border and Malaysia's economic recovery projection for next year during the oral question and answer session.

The Second Meeting of the Fourth Term of the 14th Parliament will end today after a 32-day sitting from Oct 25.

-- BERNAMA