KUALA LUMPUR: The RM1,000 fine imposed on those who violate the standard operating procedures under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 or Act 342, is ineffective, says Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

       He said the maximum fine imposed is not proportional to the offence committed by certain organisers or companies in complying with the required SOPs.

       "Personally I feel, with the flexibility given and restriction relaxation that will be announced after this, several companies will be entrusted with the responsiblity to ensure that the SOPs set are adhered to.

       "In the economic context, the existing fines are ineffective and do not serve as a deterrent because the companies make billions in returns, so RM1,000 is too small an amount and is inadequate. As such, we need to table it again in Parliament," he told a press conference after chairing the Covid-19 Ministerial Quartet Meeting in Parliament on Tuesday (Dec 14).

       Hishammuddin reminded organisers and companies that have been granted the permission to hold an event, to keep to their word in ensuring that the SOPs are complied with, in efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19.

       Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali today tabled the bill to amend Act 342 for the first reading in the Dewan Rakyat, to allow individual offenders to be compounded up to RM10,000 instead of RM1,000 currently.

       According to the blue bill, the amendment under section 25 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Bill 2021 also proposed that errant companies be compounded up to a maximum of RM1mil. - Bernama