KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has called upon employers to provide work flexibility to their workers in regards to the novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) outbreak.
Its president Datuk Abdul Halim Mansor said the move would help enable employees’ work productivity and at the same time ensure their health and safety.
“With the alarming rise in numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases, I believe that employers can and should offer work flexibility such as working from home or adding on to their annual leaves.
“This is especially for the health personnel who had been working very hard in controlling the outbreak at our country, and for those who are flying home from mainland China.
“Through this option, I believe it would continue to contribute to productivity, while ensuring their (employees) safety,” he told the New Straits Times.
Besides offering work flexibility, Halim proposed that the government prioritise screening Malaysian workers who had flown in from mainland China thoroughly upon arrival.
“They should be segregated upon arrival, for thorough medical check-ups before allowing them to go home to their respective family.
“The safety precautions are to ensure that they are virus-free,” he said.
The number of persons confirmed positive for the coronavirus in Malaysia stands at seven as of Tuesday night.
The coronavirus has taken the lives of 106 people in China, with over 4,500 confirmed cases outside its epicentre, including Asia-Pacific region, Europe and North America.