KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — The Perikatan Nasional (PN) government’s introduction of a three-tiered system to punish offenders who break the Emergency laws meant to safeguard against Covid-19 will worsen the situation rather than fix the problem, two Opposition MPs claimed today.

Iskandar Puteri MP Lim Kit Siang said the government’s latest initiative to divide the offences under the Emergency (Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 into three categories remains disproportionate.

“The Emergency ordinances on violation of movement control order (MCO) and SOPs remain harsh, disproportionate, unconscionable and unjust, especially when the authorities should have realised that the major problem today is to reduce and resolve the deficit of public trust and confidence,” he said in a statement.

He also accused Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the PN government of “trying to kill” businesses like pubs, nightclubs and restaurants that are already struggling due to forced closures to combat the coronavirus infections.

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He claimed public trust and confidence in the government has deteriorated further compared to a year ago when the first MCO began due to double standards in law enforcement between the average Malaysian and ministers or their deputies.

“The task at hand is to reduce and resolve this ballooning deficit of public trust and confidence,” he said.

Lim’s colleague and Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim also expressed his dissatisfaction at Putrajaya’s decision of implementing the three-tier fine system and maintaining the RM10,000 compound, saying that such actions are irresponsible and only adds to the burden of frontliners.

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“The government’s decision to kick the ball down to the district health offices to handle the RM10,000 compound is simply wrong. They are the frontliners who manage the operations of the public health system, including managing Covid-19.

“Now, they have been forced to turn into a compound processing centre.

“Is this how we fight Covid-19?” Sim asked in a separate statement.

He claimed the government had misunderstood the wishes of Malaysians, and that the 50 per cent discount given to those who pay the compounds within seven days is still unaffordable for the average Malaysian.

“Meanwhile, the 50 per cent discount is beyond the affordability of the average Malaysian. The government should not benchmark the fines against the wealth of ministers and VIPs when ministers themselves often escape punishment for violating SOPs,” he said.

Sim added that the government should refocus its efforts in its fight against Covid-19 by continuing with the 3Ts (testing, tracing and treatment), and not “punish” the public with heavy fines.

Yesterday, de facto law minister Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan announced that offences under the Emergency (Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 will be divided into three categories, based on severity.

Takiyuddin said the severity of offences are now listed according to the First Category (offences resulting in high infection risks and significant impact to the community on a large-scale), Second Category (offences resulting in high infection risks but less significant impact to the community) and Third Category (offences resulting in low infection risks and zero impact to the community).

He added that only those who flout the existing prohibition on pubs and nightclubs under the MCO will be fined the maximum amount.