KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 ― Amendments have been made to the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 Gazette to allow an individual to be accompanied by a family member from the same household when out to purchase essential items.

The amended Government Gazette, released on the Attorney General’s Chambers official Federal Gazettes website last night, was published with alterations made to Regulation 4 which affects conditions for one’s movements, which now reads:

“Where a person moves from one place to another place within any infected local area or from one infected local area to another infected local area — to purchase food, medicine, dietary supplement, daily necessities or any other goods from any provider of essential services;

“His movement shall only be to a place within a radius of not more than ten kilometres from his residence, or to a place nearest to his residence if such food, medicine, dietary supplement is or daily necessities or other goods are not available at a place within a radius of not more than ten kilometres from his residence;

“And he may be accompanied by one family member staying in the same house.

The gazette reads similarly for those out to seek healthcare or medical services, the only differing clause being that a person may be accompanied by any other person, or as may be reasonably necessary, without spelling a definitive number.

However, this rule affecting those heading out for medical reasons has been consistent with the previous gazette published on April 14.  

In the previous gazette, Regulation 4 read that; no one can be accompanied by any other person unless it was reasonably necessary for the person to need an accompaniment when out to purchase daily necessities.

The amended regulations were published and approved on the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, and is in effect as of today until May 12.

Other amendments published yesterday include amendments made to the Employees Provident Fund Act 1991 and the Malaysia Deposit Insurance Corporation Act 2011.