Selangor Journal
The Parliament logo at the Malaysian Parliament, Kuala Lumpur. — Picture by BERNAMA

East coast floods, Act 342 amendments among key issues on first-day sitting of Dewan Rakyat

KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 — The issue of flood disaster management in the current floods affecting the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia is among key questions to be raised at today’s Dewan Rakyat sitting.

According to the Order Paper published on the Parliament website, Dungun MP Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli will pose this question to the prime minister during the Minister’s Question Time.

Wan Hassan will ask the prime minister to state the drastic measures taken by the government in dealing with the disaster.

During the oral question-and-answer session, Sabak Bernam MP Datuk Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh will ask the senior works minister on the implementation of toll payment using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology at all closed tolls on the North-South Highway (PLUS) and East Coast Highway 2 (LPT 2).

He will ask whether the RFID system could overcome congestion at all toll plazas and if the Touch n Go and Smart Tag would continue to be used on PLUS Highway and LPT 2.

At the same session, Pasir Salak MP Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman will ask the prime minister why there were still weaknesses in the government’s implementation and delivery system and the measures that could be taken to overcome them.

Also expected to take centre stage is the second reading of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Bill 2021 (Act 342), which was tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat in December last year.

The amendments, tabled by Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali, propose, among others, to raise the maximum rates for compounds for offences under the Bill.

Under the Bill, an individual can be compounded up to RM10,000 compared to RM1,000 now, while business entities can be compounded a maximum of RM1 million.

Apart from this, the Offenders Compulsory Attendance (Amendment) Bill 2021 is scheduled for second reading yesterday.

The First Meeting of the Fifth Session of the 14th Parliament was opened by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah yesterday, and the Dewan Rakyat will sit until March 24.

— Bernama

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