KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat has deferred the passing of several crucial Bills on the last day of its meeting to a later date.

       Among them were the Sexual Harassment Bill 2021, the contentious Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Bill 2021 and Independent Police Conduct Commission Bill 2020.

       Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Parliament and Law) Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin informed the House that the government decided to defer the second and third readings involving nine Bills under the Order Paper.

       She told Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon that the Bills would be read during the next meeting, which is usually held in July.

       The Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Bill 2021 was tabled by the Health Ministry in the Dewan Rakyat on Dec 14 and was supposed to have been passed the following day.

       However, the government decided to defer the reading of the Bill following outcry by MPs over the excessive fines and prison terms to be imposed on companies and individuals that flout Covid-19 standard operating procedures.

       The Bill was supposed to have been passed during a special sitting held for the purpose on Dec 20 but was called off by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

       The Bill initially proposed a maximum RM100,000 fine or seven years’ jail under Section 24(a) for individuals who flout Covid-19 regulations. Also deemed excessive was the proposed RM1mil maximum penalty for a corporate body under Section 25(b).

       Under the present Act 342, the health authorities are only empowered to impose a maximum fine of RM1,000 against companies and individuals who flout Covid-19 SOPs.

       MPs will also have to wait before they can pass the long-awaited Sexual Harassment Bill, which was also tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Dec 15.

       The decision to defer the reading of the Bill came after Parliament's bipartisan Special Select Committee on Women, Children and Social Development chairman Datuk Azalina Othman Said called for a meeting on Wednesday (March 23) to stall the passing of the proposed new law.

       She secured an agreement from the government and Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) for the Bill to be passed at a later date.

       This came after it was agreed that the Bill should be improved upon instead of being rushed through the House.

       Under the proposed Bill, sexual harassment could be classified as verbal, non-verbal, visual, gestural or physical and directed at an individual.

       A tribunal will also be set up to hear sexual harassment claims and empowered to direct an offender to issue an apology to the victim.

       Offenders could also be ordered to pay a maximum compensation of up to RM250,000 if victims suffered losses as a result of the harassment.

       Failing to comply with the tribunal's order could land an offender up to two years in jail.

       The tribunal also has the power to dismiss alleged sexual harassment if the claim was deemed frivolous.

       Meanwhile, M. Kulasegaran (PH-Ipoh Barat) expressed dismay at the decision to postpone the passing of the Independent Police Conduct Commission Bill 2020, saying it had been postponed several times already.

       The Bill was first tabled during the Pakatan Harapan administration but met with calls from several quarters including MPs for changes to be made.

       Among the other Bills deferred for second reading were the Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2022, the National Foresty (Amendment) Bill 2022 and Offenders Compulsory Attendance (Amendment) Bill 2021.