Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob
KUCHING: The federal government will look into the need to introduce an amendment to the Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease Act 1988 (Act 342) to take legal action against parents who still defy official advice and bring their young children to shopping malls amid the country’s fight against Covid-19, said Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The Senior Minister (Security Cluster) said the government was aware that some parents were still bringing their children along to shopping malls during this Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) period despite having been advised not to.
“We learnt that many parents still bring their young children to shopping complexes. If we want to take action against these parents, there must be law or regulation in place to do so. This involves Act 342.
“So God willing, we will discuss with the Attorney General (AG), Ministry of Health (MoH) and National Security Council (MKN) on whether to amend the Act,” he said when responding to questions during the daily update press conference in Putrajaya today.
Ismail Sabri was quick to add that the government would have to look at other implications on the need to amend the Act.
“We need to look into details. We will discuss with AG.”
The Defence Minister said he was taken by surprise that many people still wanted to drive back to their respective hometowns even though the government had discouraged them to do so.
In the last 24 hours, he said 1,175 vehicles which were headed for their respective destinations were asked to turn back to where they came from.
“All of them gave the same excuse, saying that they want to ‘balik kampung’ (travel back to their hometown). Police had to advise them to turn back.
“Do not have any inter-state travel or ‘balik kampung’ now. We don’t want your efforts go wasted because if you try, you will be asked to go back to where you come from,” added Ismail Sabri.