CAP: 'Horrible idea' to use Socso funds for employee's Covid-19 screening

CORONAVIRUS | The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) has expressed its shock that the Social Security Organisation (Socso) has agreed to bear Covid-19 screening fee for all employees who had to work during the current movement control order (MCO).

This comes after Minister of International Trade and Industry Azmin Ali's announcement that Socso funds would be used to pay for the mandatory Covid-19 screening of employees who are allowed to operate during the MCO.

"While we welcome the mandatory Covid-19 screening, the cost of it must be borne by their employers because the employees are taking risks in going to work during the MCO for the benefit of the employers.

"Moreover, the employees should be paid a risk allowance," CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader (above) said in a statement today.

"It is a horrible idea of using Socso to fund the Covid-19 screening fees because Socso is supposed to provide a ‘safety net’ in the event of workplace injuries, emergencies, occupational diseases and death of the contributor," he added.

Mohideen said nobody knows what is beyond the current Covid-19 horizon and for Socso to spend employees’ fund on such screening without their consent is both unethical and unwise.

CAP's views echo that of MTUC secretary-general J Solomon, who said he was aghast at Azmin's announcement and that the minister had lost sight of the purpose of Socso.

'Socso is accountable to the employees'

"Let us remind the government that Socso belongs and is accountable to about seven million active employees (as in 2017). Arbitrarily utilising the fund of about seven million active contributors nationwide should raise eyebrows as such a decision is not justifiable," Mohideen said.

He said it does not make sense for employees to be made to pay for their own Covid-19 screening and go to work during MCO, thereby increasing their risk of exposure to the virus.

He added that risk allowance is a feature of work benefits in many countries and has been proposed in Malaysia in 2013.

"It is important for the government to introduce the risk allowance because employees are compelled to work under circumstances of extraordinary risk."

CAP also called on the government to introduce a hotline for anonymous whistle-blowers who want to report about their workplace compliance failure to Miti’s Health and Safety Protocols (HSP).

"There were 2,732 companies approved for operation in late March and the number should have increased significantly by now and it is difficult for Miti to monitor the implementation of HSP nationwide," Mohideen added. - Mkini