KUCHING, May 7 — The Sarawak Legislative Assembly was today told that it is considered timely for the Protection of Public Health Ordinance 1999 to be amended to update and strengthen its provisions to meet the changes and expectation of the present situation.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said the Ordinance has not been amended since it was passed by the legislative assembly in December 1999 and came into force in November 2000.
“The proposed Bill seeks to amend and update certain provisions in the Ordinance and to make it at par and in line with the current practices,” he said when tabling the Protection of the Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2024.
He said the Bill aims to strengthen certain provisions relating to penalty and enforcement on public health matters.
Dr Sim, who is also the state minister of public health, housing and local government, said among the salient features of the Bill is to amend Section 2 of the Ordinance to reflect the new Strata (Subsidiary Titles) Ordinance, 2019 that repealed the Strata Title Ordinance, 1995 [Cap.18].
He said the Bill also seeks to propose a new provision to Section 22 to enable the local authorities to issue temporary licences to food premises operators by giving them time frame to comply with the requirements of the other relevant laws.
He said the present provision of Section 22 prohibited the use or operation of food premises without licence.
“Some of these food premises operators cannot be issued with licence just because they are unable to comply with the provisions under the Local Authorities Ordinance, 1996 and Building Ordinance, 1994 or any other laws,” he added.
He said the Bill also seeks to amend section 23 by adding the new sub paragraph (3) which is to prohibit animals or pets from entering any food premises.
“This is to ensure the health of the public and consumers are protected from unacceptable and unhygienic food premises,” he said.
He said the Bill also proposes a new subsection (3) of Section 38 to add the word “columbarium” and to ensure that any land used as a licensed funeral parlour and cemeteries to be maintained and cleaned regularly.
“It will be an offence if the licensee fails to clean and maintain funeral parlour, cemeteries or crematorium regularly,” he added.
Dr Sim said the proposed amendment to Section 64 is to give power to the State Cabinet to make regulations relating to, among others, the establishment, management and control of funeral parlours, cemeteries, crematoria and columbaria.
He said it also gives power to the State Cabinet to make regulations on the manner of packaging food for consumption, its disposal, providing for segregation of waste, and the use of Styrofoam containers, plastic bag and plastic straw.
The legislative assembly later unanimously passed the Bill.
