PETALING JAYA: Five proposed provisions and five amendments to the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act (Act 342) aim to allow the authorities to better manage and control future disease outbreaks in line with changes in technology, says Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (pic).

       Among the new provisions are Section 14A with regard to the isolation of infected individuals or those suspected of infection at quarantine centres or under home quarantine.

       Section 15A allows for electronic monitoring devices to track the movements of infected persons or those suspected of infection who are under quarantine.

       Also significant is the new Section 22A which allows for an organisation or body to be punished for breach of regulations.

       Also new are Section 21B and 21C that empower authorised personnel to enforce regulations including investigations.

       One of the significant amendments to Act 342 is Section 10 that makes it mandatory for medical officers to report infections at any premises even in the absence of laboratory tests to confirm suspected infections.

       Amendments to Section 25 would empower authorised local council officers or those from statutory bodies to issue compounds for the offences.

       Amendments to Section 24 fixes the penalties to be imposed on individuals or organisations.

       The penalties are to be deterrent in nature and as lessons to others not to commit the offence.

       “However, the proposed law still gives the court discretion with regard to penalties imposed on offenders,” Dr Noor Hisham said in a press conference.

       In the same press conference, the Health Ministry said it would detail out the guidelines under the proposed amendments to Act 342.

       Ministry disease control division director Dr Norhayati Rusli said the proposed compound value imposed on individuals and organisations would depend on the magnitude of the offences.

       She said the proposed guidelines under Section 25 of the Act included three categories of offence magnitude.

       “Category one consists of offences that potentially cause higher risk and greater impact of infectious diseases towards the community while category two involves medium risk of impact to the community, such as isolated or limited clusters.

       “Category three are offences that cause the lowest risk of infectious diseases to the community,” she said.