BN must explain to Johor voters why they support the increase in penalties and compound fines to RM 2 million and RM 1 million respectively for corporations and RM100,000 and RM10,000 respectively for individuals for non-compliance of COVID-19 SOPs. The increase in penalties(upon conviction in court) and compound fines also provide for imprisonment up to 7 years, is contained in the proposed amendments to the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.
Such harsh penalties and compound fines can be enforced at will with unfettered and unlimited powers granted to the Director-General of Health, that can not be questioned or challenged under the same proposed amendments. PH and DAP have adopted a firm position of opposing and voting against such proposed amendments in Parliament due to the draconian powers granted to the enforcement and harsh penalties and compound fines imposed.
There are two fundamental reasons why these amendments should not be approved. First, this is a dishonest attempt by the government to pin the blame on the rakyat to avoid responsibility for their failure to manage the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused the loss of nearly 33,000 lives and almost 3.5 million infections. Second, the harsh penalties can have a devastating effect on the livelihood of ordinary people and survival of small businesses who are unable to afford such heavy and burdensome penalties and compound fines.
Not every ordinary Malaysian is wealthy like Ministers who can afford RM10,000 fines nor every company can survive if slapped with a RM1 million compound fine. The government should own up to their COVID-19 failures and bear full responsibility for their incompetence, be compassionate to the victims of COVID-19 and to effectively manage the transition of the pandemic becoming endemic to accept the reality that society has to live with COVID-19.
Such harsh penalties and draconian powers arming enforcement officers will impose an additional obstacle to the full recovery of the economy. To save lives and livelihood, there must be a whole-of-government approach instead of blaming or making the people the culprit for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Federal government is devious and cunning in timing the debate and approving the proposed amendments after 12 March when the Johor elections are over. Clearly the amendments are intended to be passed after the Johor elections, to avoid the controversy and the adverse electoral impact over the issue. For this reason, BN including both UMNO, MCA and MIC must come clean on their support for these proposed amendments that are inimical to the interests of the people.