Short Note -2 * Legislation for Dengue Control in Malaysia by Tham Ah Seng# Senior Entomologist, Vector-Borne Disease Branch, Ministry of Health, Jalan Cenderasari, 0584 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia In Malaysia, there are three laws and Prevention and Control of Infectious legislation to cover the prevention and Diseases Act 1988, which has provision for control of vector-borne diseases. These are: the closure of premises found harbouring (a) Destruction of Disease-Bearing Insects disease-bearing insects, is used to Act 1975 (Act 154)(1); (b) Prevention and supplement the DDBIA. Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act (2) 342) ; and (c) Local Government Act 1976 Achievement in law enforcement of (Act 171)(3). The Destruction of Disease- DDBIA for dengue control Bearing Insects Act (DDBIA) 1975 was enforced throughout the country with effect During the 5-year period from 1996 to from 23 August 1982. The Destruction of 2000, an average of 4,316,113 premises Disease-Bearing Insects (Amendment) Act were inspected annually for Aedes breeding, 2000 came into operation throughout the of which an average of 33,959 premises country with effect from 1 January 2001. were found to be breeding Aedes (Table 1). The Aedes Premise Index thus worked out to about 0.78%. Application An average of 13,435 warning notices The DDBIA is intended to provide for the and 22,660 compounds were issued destruction and control of disease-bearing annually to the offenders who harboured insects. It also empowers the relevant Aedes larvae in their premises. Of those who authority to conduct medical examination refused to pay the compounds, an average and treatment of persons suffering from of 550 offenders were taken to court. For insect-borne diseases. For the prevention the same period, an average of 92 premises and control of dengue, most of the were closed or stop-work order issued to provisions vested under the DDBIA 1975 are them. strictly enforced. Section 18(d) of the * This paper was presented at the WHO Health Forum organized by the Ministry of the Environment, Singapore, October 2001 # For correspondence: [email protected] Dengue Bulletin – Vol 25, 2001 109 Legislation for Dengue Control in Malaysia Table 1. Enforcement of Destruction of Disease-Bearing Insects Act, 1975 (Amended 2000) in Malaysia No. of No. of No. of premises Aedes No. of No. of Law No. of warning Year premises found Premise compounds court Enforcement premises notices examined breeding Index (%) issued cases Index (%) closed issued Aedes 1996 4,397,754 41,612 0.9 17,972 18,408 517 88.7 0 1997 4,239,489 42,902 1.0 19,878 28,834 989 115.8 256 1998 5,071,478 36,203 0.7 11,233 30,696 298 116.6 115 1999 3,915,499 27,961 0.7 9,490 20,154 436 107.6 73 2000 3,956,344 21,117 0.5 8,601 15,209 506 115.1 16 2001 (Jan- 1,828,648 13,808 0.8 4,039 9,861 249 102.5 27 Jun) Source: Vector-borne Disease Branch, Ministry of Health, Malaysia Table 2 shows the achievement of law premises or stop-work orders were issued; 5 enforcement by states for the year 2000. A in Kedah, 9 in Selangor and 2 in Kelantan. total of 3,956,344 premises were examined, out of which 21,117 (0.53%) premises were found to be positive for Aedes breeding. A Impact of legislation on dengue total of 8,601 warning notices, 15,209 control compounds, 506 court prosecutions and 16 stop-work or closure orders were issued. In In the enforcement of the Disease-Bearing 2000, court prosecutions were prominent in Insects Act 1975, the main focus is on the urbanized states of Perak, Selangor, finding Aedes mosquito larvae in and around Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and premises during routine Aedes survey. Once Negeri Sembilan. The issuance of the larvae are confirmed to be disease- compounds was more pronounced in the bearing insects, the owner/occupier is issued states of Perak, Selangor and Johore where a warning notice or a compound is offered. more than 2,000 compounds were issued The owner/occupier is expected to abide by for each of the states. The issue of warning the instructions in the warning notice or notices was more active in the states of settle the compound within the stipulated Kedah, Selangor, Terengganu and Sarawak time, otherwise court prosecutions are where more than 1,000 notices were issued proceeded. Therefore, legislation serves as a for each state. A total of 16 closure of strong deterrent to mosquito breeding by careless and indifferent householders. The 110 Dengue Bulletin – Vol 25, 2001 Legislation for Dengue Control in Malaysia ultimate objective of imposing fines and Table 3 shows the relationship between enforcing the law is to get public support in the number of dengue cases reported, the dengue control activities and their number of compounds issued, and the fines participation in source-reduction measures. collected during 1999 and 2000. Table 2. Enforcement of Destruction of Disease-Bearing Insects Act, 1975 (amended 2000) by states in Malaysia during 2000 No. of No. of No. of No. of No. of No of warning State premises premises found compounds court premises notices examined breeding Aedes issued cases closed issued Perlis 23 173 179 19 160 0 0 Kedah 336 050 991 1393 819 1 5 P.Pinang 324 927 730 11 643 0 0 Perak 715 302 3745 799 2624 207 0 Selangor 517 010 5700 1271 4041 168 9 Wpkl 51 913 1490 616 510 96 0 N.Sembilan 151 337 512 20 459 20 0 Melaka 189 788 610 340 254 8 0 Kjohor 454 418 2637 286 2350 0 0 Pahang 208 559 881 77 779 3 0 Terengganu 202 699 513 1780 505 3 0 Kelantan 281 578 719 274 345 0 2 Sabah 257 172 915 687 696 0 0 Sarawak 242 412 1495 1028 1024 0 0 Total 3 956 21 117 8 601 15 209 506 16 338 Source: Vector-borne Disease Branch, Ministry of Health, Malaysia Dengue Bulletin – Vol 25, 2001 111 Legislation for Dengue Control in Malaysia Table 3. Number of dengue cases, compounds, collection in fines under the DDBIA 1975 (amended 2000) for 1999 and 2000. 1999 2000 No. of State No. of No. of No. of Fines (RM) dengue Fines (RM) dengue cases compounds compounds cases Perlis 46 33 1 410 29 160 4 860 Kedah 892 888 38 349 484 819 79 720 Penang 585 1 484 1 66 450 160 643 59 002 Perak 1 047 4 484 4 20 521 387 2 624 1 96 265 Selangor 1 956 3 598 3 37 990 1 439 4 041 3 94 175 Fed. Terr. K. 1 329 1 298 76 120 494 510 44 035 Lumpur N. Sembilan 427 959 1 05 520 7 65 459 41 500 Malacca 229 336 21 020 104 254 11 220 Johor 957 1550 1 42 000 1 434 2 350 2 13 200 Pahang 782 1156 1 09 410 383 779 64 317 Terengganu 433 687 66 630 125 505 50 500 Kelantan 444 243 24 279 377 345 31 550 Sabah 344 1205 65 090 153 696 71 555 Sarawak 675 2233 59 890 784 1 024 42 326 Total 10146 20154 1634679 7 118 15 209 1 30 4225 Source: Vector-borne Disease Branch, Ministry of Health, Malaysia It is very difficult to draw a good References conclusion from the figures but judging from 1. Laws of Malaysia (1975). Destruction of Disease- the reduction in dengue cases in 2000 Bearing Insects Act 1975 (Act 154). Government (7,118 cases) as compared to 1999 (10,146 Printers, Kuala Lumpur. cases), enforcement via compounding does 2. Laws of Malaysia (1988). Prevention and Control play a role. Although the number of of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342). compounds issued in 2000 (15,209) was less Government Printers, Kuala Lumpur. than that in 1999 (20,154), it shows that 3. Laws of Malaysia (1976). Local Government Act there were less breeding places detected 1976 (Act 171). Government Printers, Kuala Lumpur. (21,117) in 2000 as compared to 27,961 in 1999. The issuing of compounds has made a positive impact on the reduction of Aedes breeding premises. 112 Dengue Bulletin – Vol 25, 2001 .