States can shut factories, but not for Covid-19

[superadmin]

PETALING JAYA: State governments and local authorities have no power to shut factories due to Covid-19, but can do so for other reasons that come under their jurisdiction, according to an expert on local government laws.

This week, PKR’s Rafizi Ramli and DAP’s Syahredzan Johan sparred on Twitter over who is responsible for closing factories in Selangor, which have been a hotbed for infections.

Rafizi argued that the state could revoke the factories’ operating licences, but Syahredzan countered that the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act allowed Putrajaya to determine which economic sectors were essential and could operate and that local councils could revoke licences only for breaches of provisions in the licences.

Lawyer Derek Fernandez told FMT that while the Local Government Act provides these authorities the power to regulate and manage health sanitisation and control of diseases, it must not conflict with federal laws.


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