Imposing high fines, jail for flouting SOPs won’t work, says expert

[superadmin]

PETALING JAYA: Imposing harsher punishment and fines on those flouting Covid-19 SOPs will not be effective in ensuring public compliance, according to infectious disease expert Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman.

She said criminalisation of behaviour to deter infectious diseases has proven to be ineffective.

“People will find ways to overcome this,” she said during a webinar organised by Khazanah Research Institute today,

It would also lead to inequality, she added. The wealthy will be able to get away with a RM10,000 fine while the poor may end up in prison for failure to pay the fine.

Adeeba said she was in favour of more enforcement of existing laws for those flouting SOPs.

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