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PUTRAJAYA: The government lifted the conditional movement control order in four states, put Kelantan under lockdown, and announced that all foreign workers in select regions will have to undergo mandatory Covid-19 testing.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said a conditional MCO would be imposed in Kelantan starting today due to an increase in Covid-19 cases, this comes after Mengketil’s group in the state recorded 41 cases in various districts.
He also said that the conditional MCO would end in Kedah, Melaka, Terengganu and Johor starting tomorrow, before the initially set date of December 6.
Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri also announced that foreign workers in Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Sabah, Kuala Lumpur, and Labuan across all sectors and industries must undergo mandatory swab testing for Covid-19.
However, the order does not cover domestic workers such as maids.
The Chief Minister said this would be phase one of the policy to force foreign workers to get tested, following an increase in the number of cases among them.
He said the matter was decided by the special meeting of the National Security Council (MKN) yesterday after a proposal presented by the Ministry of Human Resources.
“After hearing the proposal and receiving advice from the Ministry of Health, the special meeting agreed to make it mandatory for foreign workers in these states, as well as in Kuala Lumpur and Labuan, to be tested with RTK antigen swabs,” he said. in your briefing. here yesterday.
However, it did not specify when the mandatory tests for foreign workers would take effect.
The MKN special meeting was told that as of Oct 31, there were 1,615.83 foreign workers in Malaysia.
Press Conference: Ismail Sabri briefs the press on the conditional MCO imposed on Kelantan starting today. – Bernama
Ismail Sabri said the meeting also agreed that the private clinic staff would go to construction sites and workplaces to screen foreign workers rather than queue them in front of clinics to be examined.
He also explained that the RTK antigen test was agreed as the results would be faster.
On paying for the tests, Ismail Sabri said: “The Social Security Organization (Socso) will subsidize RM60 for foreign workers who are taxpayers, while the remaining part of the charges will be borne by their employers.”
Employers must bear the full cost of testing their foreign workers who are not socso taxpayers.
Separately, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Human Resources told The Star that RTK antigen tests on foreign workers performed from November 21 onwards would be eligible for reimbursement.
Rebate requests can be made through Socso’s Prihatin Screening Program (PSP) portal. Socsco will also work to facilitate testing at participating clinics.
Further announcements about the reimbursement procedure and testing will be made on its website, the spokesperson said.
Ismail also said that the decision to put these workers to the test was based on a risk assessment carried out by health authorities, as the living conditions of these workers had led to a high rate of infection among them.
He also noted that new regulations had been put in place that required employers and centralized accommodation providers to ensure that homes met certain minimum requirements.
Meanwhile, to boost domestic tourism that has been severely affected by the pandemic, vacations and travel within green states will be allowed starting tomorrow.
Ismail Sabri said that this was decided after the Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture submitted a proposal, adding that the special meeting of the MKN had agreed, but this would only be for those who live in green states or districts for destinations that also they are in green areas.
He cited an example where those in Kuantan, which is a green area, could go on vacation to Taman Negara in Kuala Tahan, which is also green.
Those who reside in Pahang and want to go on vacation to Johor, which is now green, but must pass through Negri Sembilan, must obtain permission from the police to pass through the red zone.
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