KUALA LUMPUR: While the planting of ketum plants are permitted for research, education and medication purposes, it is still subject to terms and conditions, as well as a letter of approval from the health minister.
This was the gist of the Poisons (Revised) Supply Bill (RUU) 2019 tabled for its first reading by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Based on the bill, Dr Dzulkefly has the authority to allow any civil servant or officer of statutory bodies to grow the plant.
This means that the public are no longer allowed to plant the psychoactive plants.
Failure to abide by the law will see offenders fined a maximum of RM200,000 or face seven years’ jail or both, once the bill is passed.
The amendment seeks to establish control over psychoactive plants, including its cultivation, import, export, mixture, sale, supply, ownership and use.
The amendment seeks to expand the scope of the Poisons Act 1952 (Act 366) that covers control of psychoactive plants, tightening control over poisons and psychoactive materials, as well as to streamline Act 366 with current needs.
The Health director-general and pharmaceutical enforcement officers are given the authority to issue compounds for offences related to poisons and psychoactive plants.
Licensing officers, Poisons Board members or anyone acting upon orders while on duty are covered by Section 34A of the same act.
The ministry is given the power to set the procedures for the issuance of compounds. The amount of the compound should not be more than 50 per cent of the maximum fine for the offence. - Reports by Nuradzimmah Daim, Arfa Yunus, Mohd Iskandar Ibrahim and Mohd Azrone Sarabatin