The Legislative Assembly (AL) yesterday passed the outline of a government-initiated civil protection framework bill, which proposes a new crime category for causing harm to public safety, order and peace – such as by spreading rumours – when “unforeseen public incidents” affect the city – such as typhoons, other natural disasters and major accidents.
The bill proposes that offenders will face a prison term of up to two years. The prison term will be up to three years if the crime has effectively caused panic among the public or a negative impact on the authorities’ ongoing civil protection work, or if the rumour has caused residents to believe that the “information” originated from the authorities.
Typhoon Hato aftermath
In the aftermath of deadly Super Typhoon Hato, which hit the city on August 23, 2017, the government has been proposing a new civil protection framework law with the aim of allowing the government to better respond to “unforeseen public incidents”, and launched a public consultation on the matter in June last year. The government proposes that the new framework law replace the existing decree-law regulating the government’s civil protection system and tasks promulgated back in 1992 when Macau was still under Portuguese administration.
Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak speaks during yesterday’s plenary session in the legislature’s hemicycle about the government’s civil protection framework bill. Courtesy: TDM
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