GEORGE TOWN: The government's commitment to introduce the Good Samaritan Act is a move in the right direction.
Persatuan Sukarelawan Bantuan Kecemasan Pulau Pinang senior adviser, Datuk Seri Phee Boon Poh, in welcoming the new law, said it was long overdue.
"We have been lobbying for the Good Samaritan law to be put in place for many years now. In fact, it was even raised during the Penang state legislative assembly sitting by Sungai Puyu assemblyman Phee Syn Tze.
"This is a very much-needed piece of legislation as it protects our first responders out in the field on duty. I want to thank the Health Minister (Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad) for the good news," he told the New Straits Times.
Persatuan Sukarelawan Bantuan Kecemasan Pulau Pinang is a grouping of 16 associations in Penang, Province Wellesley, Sungai Petani, and Parit Buntar, involved in providing first responder services, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), to those who need it. It was set up in 2022 after the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the height of the pandemic, some of these associations provided help to those affected by the virus. Phee said they did not want a situation where the first responders are blamed if anything goes wrong.
"They are providing such services on a goodwill basis. We don't want family or friends to turn around and pin the blame if anything happens to the victims. That is why there is also an urgent need to protect the first responders too," he added.
Phee expressed hope that the Good Samaritan law would come to fruition soon.
Earlier today, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the Good Samaritan Act must be put in place.
He said he would raise the matter at the post-cabinet meeting next week. It would then be opened up for discussion and a relevant person put in charge.
Meanwhile, the Malaysia Resuscitation Association (MyRES) is looking forward to the introduction of the Good Samaritan Act to protect all rescuers.
MyRES president Datuk Dr Luah Lean Wah said the issue of good samaritan had never been addressed before this.
"We really hope that one day we can have this act to protect all the rescuers."We see this (introduction of the Good Samaritan Act) as a good move," she said.
Dr Luah is also the Penang Heart Safe Society president and founder of the Penang Heart Safe Programme.