Employers Are Hiding Their Employees' COVID-19 Positive Results

Fearing that they will not be able to operate at full capacity, some employers tried to hide their employees' Covid-19 positive results from the Government. 

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan said that his ministry lamented that there were still organisations that failed to make reports on their employees who tested positive for the disease.

The minister said that he had already given a warning to the manufacturing and construction companies. He added that such a move was a poor practice by companies, especially when Malaysia is at war with the pandemic. He urged employers to inform the Ministry of Health if there is a positive case so they can take further action.

Many citizens were concerned about their jobs when they heard rumours that the movement control order (MCO) would be re-imposed soon. The minister said that the Government was thinking of the best way to curb the pandemic's spread following the sharp rise in new cases.

"(Whatever steps that the Government will take) will not succeed if there is no support from all parties. Lately, there was an employer association announcing that it was not appropriate to re-impose MCO," the minister said.

He also said that the Government expects two crises to occur: the first is the economic crises due to the MCO implementation, and the other is the health crisis. 

Ex-Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said that other than the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, the government has passed many other federal gazettes to stem the uptick of COVID-19 cases.

"If any individuals or organisation, with knowledge of the infectious disease, does not inform the public health authority, they are liable to a fine and jail time," 

Employers must inform the authority if any of its employees contracted Covid-19.

Recently, a local rubber manufacturing company failed to notify public health authorities on the outbreak among its employees. It only informed the issue to a group of analysts.

A glove-making company was also caught for flouting Government regulation. Most of its factories have been placed under movement control because of the outbreak. The Labour Department has also begun 19 investigation papers against the company for breaching the Workers' Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446). One security guard died after the company took him to a medical facility in the last minute, at the final stages of the infection.

Subramaniam said the ministry had given enough notices to the public, notably the business community, on the standard operating procedure (SOP) during the pandemic.  "I can't blame the enforcement officers as it is impossible for them to check every business premises in the country to ensure SOP compliance.

"So, if there is a breach, punitive action must be taken," he said.

Echoing the former minister's views, the Malaysian Public Health Physicians Association stated that the Government would be hard-pressed to manage the pandemic if the companies stay silent. Its president, Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar, said that it is irresponsible for the companies to hide such information from the authorities. 

He added that the Government has provided enough information and leeway to these companies and that it's time for the Health Ministry to take firm action against irresponsible organisations before the people suffer even further. 

Today, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is expected to make a special announcement on the steps to be taken by the Government concerning the current situation of the pandemic.

Sources: BERNAMA & Focus Malaysia 

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