KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 — The Covid-19 outbreak has brought out the worst in some, with the phenomenon of panic buying in several countries as hoards of consumers stockpile items such toilet paper and hand sanitisers.

In Indonesia however, it’s panic refilling.

The low availability of hand sanitisers at retail outlets in the republic is leading to some to abandon their civic consciousness, by refilling their own empty bottles with the hand sanitisers that are provided for free in public.

The news was highlighted by Indonesian news portal detikcom.

Indonesian Health Law Society (MHKI) head Dr Mahesa Paranadipa criticised the phenomenon, which has also drawn the ire of Indonesians.

And the matter has now sparked a public debate on whether the act constitutes theft with.

"That is still debatable, you want to call it theft but it’s a public facility,” Dr Mahesa said when contacted by the publication yesterday.

He likened the scenario to the availability of soap and toilet paper in public restrooms.

According to the public health official, if similarities were to be drawn, then refilling empty bottles using public hand sanitisers cannot be termed a crime since it’s for general use.

"Let’s take the example of tissues and soap in toilets, we may not say it’s theft if people take more of those items,” he explained.

The report was accompanied by images of hand sanitiser dispensers in public areas that had to be tightly taped to the wall to prevent reckless refilling that might deny other members of the public from disinfecting their hands.

The hoarding of hand sanitisers, toilet paper, face masks and non-perishable food items have been dominating headlines since the outbreak of the virus.

Covid-19 has been found in more than 75 countries with nearly 95,000 global cases.