KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — The government would undertake an “unprecedented” move to amend existing Acts and introduce new Bills to better suit the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic currently faced by the country, Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said.

In confirming the matter, the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said some of the new Bills and existing amendments to be introduced by the Cabinet, were particularly those involved in the economic sectors and laws concerning private individuals.

Takiyuddin, who is also de facto law and Parliament minister, said the government had planned to table several new Bills but decided otherwise after taking into consideration the current health and safety aspect of the nation amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Because we are unable to do so now, we will table them during the Parliament session taking place from July 13 if any debates are allowed.

Advertisement

“Maybe then the Bill could even go to the Second and Third Reading which the MPs have ample time to debate on. If we bring the motion today, maybe we could only complete the First Reading, that is why there is no difference if we bring today or in July.

“That is what we have planned, hopefully by that time the Covid-19 pandemic has subsided,” he said during RTM’s Bicara Naratif programme here last night.

Citing the Insolvency Act as an example, Takiyuddin explained how the RM 50,000 threshold for commencement of bankruptcy proceedings to be taken against an individual through court action would be amended further.

Advertisement

Among the proposed amendments was to disallow an individual to be declared bankrupt since they could not settle their debts during the already burdensome Covid-19 pandemic.

“God willing we will introduce new laws come July...laws that are unprecedented. These are the things we are planning and will do. Hopefully this will materialise in the July Parliament session.

“In the context of Covid-19, these existing Acts will be modified to suit the current circumstances as similar undertakings have taken place in Singapore and the United Kingdom whereby new laws have been enacted and amendments introduced,” Takiyuddin said.