PUTRAJAYA will not hesitate to take stern action against those who violate the rules or the standard operating procedure (SOP) put in place to curb the Covid-19 pandemic, said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. 

Muhyiddin said a task force, comprising various agencies, has been formed to monitor the SOP during the current movement control order (MCO).

Since Malaysia is also under emergency, Muhyiddin said the Emergency Management Technical Committee has reviewed the provisions in the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 or Act 342 that needs to be amended to enable stricter and faster enforcement action taken. 

Among them are:

* Immediate closure of businesses that do not comply with the rules.

* Legal action against business owners, franchisees, franchise operators and other stakeholders in the business organisation chain; 

* Legal action against the foreign labour management chain, including employers, employee supply agents, key contractors, sub-contractors and individuals; 

* Higher compound action against repeat offenders or offenders who have been warned;

* Imprisonment of offenders who violate the rules; and 

* Disciplinary action against civil servants, including heads of department, for violating the rules over the implementation of the work from home policy.

* Muhyiddin said this approach was necessary to avoid a total lockdown, which could severely impact the economy, lives and livelihood.

“I urge the industries and the public to comply strictly with the SOPs imposed by the government,” he said in a special live telecast today.

“The government has listened to you in not shutting down the economy during the movement control order period. So please reciprocate by strictly complying with the SOPs so that business and trade can continue while we work to break the chain of Covid-19 transmissions at the workplace and in the community.”

Muhyiddin said as of February, the Miti special task force has surveyed 2,276 business premises nationwide.

Of these, the owners of 197 premises were reprimanded and 34 were ordered to close for non-compliance with SOPs.

Police have fined 82,141 people and arrested 31,740 for similar offences, he said. – February 4, 2021.