From Soft to Hard?

Normally, you take Viagra to get something soft to turn hard! And for Covid, the Malaysian Government intends to use Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342) as the draconian approach to manage it.

Compounds are raised 10 to 1,000 times from the current maximum fine of RM1,000. Penalties are raised to a maximum of RM10,000 (or 7 years jail or both) for individuals and up to RM1 million for corporate bodies. Act 342 also authorises the use of force to quarantine people.

Further, Act 342 is used to criminalise a breach of Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs), that includes not wearing face masks, not practising physical distancing, breaching quarantine and engaging in prohibited activities like visiting a pub or a nightclub.

Currently, general penalties under Act 342 stipulate that a person convicted of an offence is subjected to an imprisonment term not exceeding two years or to a fine or both, for the first offence. For a second or subsequent offence, the penalty is imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or a fine or both, and a further maximum fine of RM200 for each day during which the offence continues.

It is important to note that the maximum seven-year jail sentence for offences under the Act 342 amendment Bill is equivalent to punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt (Section 325 of the Penal Code); punishment for criminal intimidation to cause death, grievous hurt, or destruction of property by fire under Section 506 of the Penal Code; as well as theft (Section 379 of Penal Code).

A proposed Section 22A imposes a presumption of guilt on corporate bodies, stating that an organisation is presumed guilty of an offence, unless it proves that the offence was committed without its knowledge or consent; and that the organisation had taken all reasonable measures and efforts to prevent the offence from being committed.

Section 10 of the amendment Bill mandates all medical practitioners who get to know, or who have “reason to believe or suspect” the existence of any infectious disease in any premise, to inform the nearest health officer without delay. 

Where is the Government going with this? Why don’t we have a Covid-19 police force? Why can’t we have Covid informers or Covid Special Branch? What about capital punishment for repeat offenders? Why don’t we seize property, assets or companies in the name of Covid? 

Is this Government attacking a mosquito or virus with a missile? Can Act 342 be applied for dengue and other viral flu as well? Can we have some sanity in this? No one wants Covid. There are a few who break the rules. And these are the elite or politicians. Find another, more humane way to deal with Covid. Stick with an alpha-blocker not Viagra please.

Reference:

Government plans to treat Covid SOP violations worse than attempted homicide, Alifah Zainuddin and Boo Su-Lyn, 13 Dec 2021 (https://codeblue.galencentre.org)