KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has agreed to extend the current Dewan Rakyat meeting for another day to allow it to debate and vote on proposed amendments to the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act (Act 342).

Minister of Health Khairy Jamaluddin has also agreed to postpone the tabling of the amendment Bill on Monday.

The extension, conveyed by Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun, was made under Ismail Sabri’s authority as the prime minister and chairman of the proceedings. 

The move drew protest from the Opposition bench, whose lawmakers demanded the Bill be withdrawn and tabled at the next parliamentary meeting over concerns that it was being rushed through Parliament.

"Honourable members, I wish to notify you that the prime minister as chairman of the proceeding has agreed to extend the sitting for another day,” Azizan announced.

"In line with Standing Order 11(2) of the Dewan Rakyat’s Standing Orders, the (extended) sitting will take place on Monday so that… the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act (Act 342) (amendment) can be tabled and voted on in the Dewan Rakyat.”

Under the proposed amendments to Act 342, individuals could face up to three years in prison, a fine of up to RM50,000 or both, while companies can be fined up to RM2 million upon conviction in court, punishments that detractors argued are too harsh.

These penalties were eventually reduced after growing protest, albeit hastily made in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

The initial version of the Act 342 amendment Bill 2021 had proposed a RM1 million compound for companies, as well as up to seven years’ incarceration or a maximum RM100,000 fine for individuals convicted of offences under the Act.

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Port Dickson, PKR) told the Lower House that Pakatan Harapan lawmakers, forming the largest Opposition bloc, would reject the Bill should the government ignore the demands for the penalties to be lowered further.

"Should all the key issues be agreed upon we shall consider to support (the amendments) but if several of the substantive concerns are not addressed we must have space to oppose and reject the Bill,” Anwar said.

Many government backbenchers have also opposed the amendment Bill, according to the Opposition leader.

"I have to state here that this (plan to reject the amendments) is not agreed by just one party. We have (bilaterally) agreed to question several of the proposed amendments,” he said.

Malay Mail was made to understand that Khairy had agreed to postpone the tabling of the amendment Bill after a heated discussion with several Opposition MPs earlier today.

The second and third reading of the Bill was initially scheduled to be tabled and voted on today itself, which has drawn allegations that Putrajaya is trying to bulldoze the amendments through.

Critics of the government said the amendments are draconian and could be prone to abuse.

The government has been fending off allegations of double standard over its use of the law on those who are charged with breaching Covid-19 health protocols, as detractors noted the often lenient punishment meted out to political leaders while members of the public are penalised harshly.