KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 ― Parents who fail to immunise their children against diseases may be breaking the law and can be prosecuted, a legal group warned today.

Lawyers for Liberty also said the growing anti-vaccination movement poses a serious threat to public health in Malaysia and must be curbed, following two recent child deaths from diphtheria.

“The parents’ refusal to vaccinate their children for whatever misguided religious or personal belief grounds are simply not acceptable as this is clearly no longer an issue of freedom of religion or personal liberties as they are endangering the health and safety of both their children and the public at large,” the group said in a statement.

“Parents who choose not to vaccinate their children should also beware as they could find themselves offending section 31 of the Child Act 2001 for neglecting or exposing their children to harm or even sections 269 and 270 of the Penal Code for acting in a manner likely to spread infection of any disease dangerous to life,” it added.

Recently, a seven-year-old girl and two-year-old boy died in Malacca and Kedah from diphtheria, a potentially fatal and highly contagious bacterial infection that can be prevented by immunisations. Both reportedly had not received complete vaccination against diphtheria.

Lawyers for Liberty also cited the Health Ministry's data, where the number of refusals to vaccinate children rose from 470 in 2013 to approximately 1,500 in 2015, and with about 500 of such refusals in the first three months of this year.

Describing the current situation as a “public health crisis”, the group said those who back the anti-vaccination movement are the biggest offenders and should be dealt with sternly by the authorities.

“The public health authorities should order the anti-vaccination proponents to cease propagating their dangerous and unfounded views.

“If they persist, they can be prosecuted for disobeying the authorities’ lawful orders or for obstructing or impeding the duties of public health officials under section 22 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988,” it said.

The group urged the authorities and all stakeholders to continue working on universal vaccination especially for children, as well as enhancing efforts at public education and correcting misinformation.

It also asked for the implementation of the necessary laws and policies to make it compulsory for children to be vaccinated.