Mercy Malaysia urges undocumented workers to get free Covid-19 test

Volunteer relief organisation Mercy Malaysia is urging undocumented workers in the country to get tested for Covid-19. They have been conducting free testing for marginalised groups, such as refugees, since May.

Its president Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus said the effort is part of the Health Ministry's strategy of target testing "vulnerable populations".

Besides refugees, they also screen migrant workers. Mercy believes they have not tested any undocumented workers so far.

“Our program does not have specifics for undocumented migrant workers. Although if any of them turn up at our testing facilities, we will not turn them away," Dr Ahmad said, adding that it was the ethical thing to do.

Experts have described undocumented workers as a blind spot in Malaysia’s Covid-19 response strategy. Fear of detention sent many into hiding, which health officials fear may cause community transmission to go unchecked.

Dr Faizal said the organisation could not guarantee safe passage for undocumented workers who come for testing but asked immigration authorities to be “understanding” of the public health effort.

He added the organisation would like to expand its operations to more communities with undocumented workers across Malaysia. However, they currently lack the funding to do so.

“So all we can do is appeal to the undocumented, if we have such programs, to come forward and be tested,” he said.

To date, Mercy has conducted almost 1,300 tests on refugees, migrant workers, and lower-income Malaysians in Ampang. No one has tested positive so far.

Rohingya refugees were the majority of those tested. Other refugees include those from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen.

Several told Bernama they took the test because they require it for work.

Although refugees are technically prohibited from working, they are not considered undocumented as long as they are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Most do menial and dirty jobs for low pay, out of the public eye.

“They are in a very grey area,” said Sumitha Shaantinni Kishna, director of Our Journey, a migrant rights group.

As for documented migrant workers, Dr Faizal said screening them was the responsibility of employers. Mercy estimates fewer than 10 tested were migrants.

The government requires employers to test their foreign employees and provide them with ways to prevent transmissions, such as requiring accommodations that allow for social distancing, hand-washing, and good hygiene.

However, a few migrant workers and refugees said some employers were taking advantage of the pandemic to discriminate.

Abdul, a Rohingya refugee, said his employer would not let him work until he got tested.

“I checked the prices and I couldn’t afford to do it at the clinics. They want RM350,” he said, adding he was then referred to Mercy. The cleaner said he was supporting a wife and three children on a RM1,200 salary.

Mat, who hails from Indonesia, was not as lucky.

He did not get his test via Mercy's program, but instead had to pay RM400 for his own test at a private hospital in order to continue working.

“Everybody has to pay for the test themselves,” he said, referring to his friends, some of whom are undocumented.

- Bernama