KUALA LUMPUR: All employees working with companies that are allowed to operate during the Movement Control Order (MCO) must undergo Covid-19 screening, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali said.
The ministry, he said, would collaborate with the Human Resources Ministry through the Social Security Organisation (Socso) as part of the government’s effort to ensure that all the employees were free from the Covid-19 virus.
“Employers applying to operate must ensure that all their workers undergo screening at any of the 3,000 over Socso panel health clinics nationwide according to guidelines by the Ministry of Health.
“The ministry has also made it mandatory for companies that have been allowed to operate to submit the registers of workers that are involved in their operations during the MCO.
“The companies must also ensure that their movement is confined only to leaving their homes to the factories or premises,” he told a press conference aired live on local television channels.
According to Azmin, Socso has agreed to bear the Covid-19 screening fee for all employees required to do the check-up.
Aside from the mandatory screening, Azmin said companies that are allowed to operate during MCO are also required to provide thermal scanners as well as screening for symptoms of coughing, sore throat or breathing difficulties.
“The readings of the workers must be recorded and kept for a period of at least three months for reference,” he said.
Azmin added that the Works Ministry and the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) have also come up with several conditions that must be adhered to by the construction industry.
All construction companies, he said, must reduce the number of workers to the bare minimum or not exceeding 50 per cent of what is currently needed.
Aside from that, the companies must fully cooperate with the Health Ministry in executing contact tracing of workers that have been infected with Covid-19.
Construction companies must also provide transportation for workers, practise social distancing and sanitise all vehicles used by them, he said.
“Companies must disseminate information and guidelines in respect of dealing with Covid-19 to their value chains.
“In cases where companies provide Centralised Labour Quarter (CLQ) facilities, they must comply with the CLQ guidelines as well as guidelines on Construction Workers Accommodation During MCO issued by CIDB or other relevant agencies.”
To date, Azmin said MITI has revoked the approvals of four companies for defying the prescribed conditions.
Investigations are also being conducted by the Labour Department in Peninsular Malaysia as well as the police, against 35 companies that were reported to have violated the conditions, he said.
Azmin warned that failure to comply with the standard operating procedure (SOPs) stipulated would amount to a criminal office under Regulation 11 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) (No. 3) Regulations 2020.
He added companies’ failure to comply with the SOPs would result in the immediate revocation of their approval to operate and that legal actions too can be taken against them.
“Enforcement units comprising the Public Works Department, CIDB, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Local Authorities, and the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) have been established to monitor and enforce compliance by approved companies as well as to take action against those that operate without approval.
“MITI is also collaborating with the police and the Department of Labour to monitor the activities of the industries required to comply with the SOPs.
“The public may lodge complaints directly to the police or MITI if they come across any violation of SOPs by companies allowed
to operate.”