The Social Security Organisation (Socso) will today issue guidelines on Covid-19 screening for employees who are allowed to work during the movement control order (MCO).
Its chief executive officer, Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed, said that Socso is set to issue the Socso Prihatin Screening Programme (PSP) following discussions with various parties.
“Socso is issuing the guidelines and procedure for Covid-19 testing for workers under Socso PSP by today.
“Socso has been in discussions with various parties before coming up with the guidelines,” Azman told Malaysiakini.
He was responding to a recent allegation by former International Trade and Industry (Miti) deputy minister Ong Kian Ming that Socso has yet to come up with a policy on Covid-19 testing for workers in industries that received exemptions from Miti to operate during the MCO period.
In a Twitter posting on April 22, Ong claimed that Socso had yet to come up with the policy which meant that mass testing is not ready for those workers.
On April 16, International Trade and Industry Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali announced that all workers of companies allowed to operate during the MCO must be screened for Covid-19.
He said that the tests must be done at Socso panel clinics and that the cost will be borne by Socso.
Meanwhile on concerns raised over Socso’s use of its funds to bear the cost of the PSP, Azman today explained that such utilisation is in line with its core objectives of ensuring occupational safety and health.
He explained that the Covid-19 outbreak is unprecedented and that the PSP adheres to the government's objective to ensure workers who work in said sectors during MCO are free of the virus.
“What Socso is doing is advocating occupational safety and health, which is one of our core activities. The PSP is one of our prevention activities, just like the Socso Health Screening Programme (HSP) to identify non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among workers.
“PSP is aimed at ensuring workers are not exposed to Covid-9 infections, thus ensuring a safe and healthy workplace,” Azman said.
Recently, several quarters had raised concerns over Socso’s dipping into its funds to bear the cost of the screening.
On April 17, Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) secretary-general J Solomon said Azmin and the government seemed to have lost sight that Socso is a workers compensation fund run with monthly contributions from both workers and also employers.
On April 20, the Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) reportedly described the idea of Socso dipping into its funds for the screening as a “horrible idea”.
In a statement later, Socso said their Prihatin Screening Programme (PSP Perkeso) for employees, including foreign workers, in sectors allowed to resume operations during the MCO began today.
The Covid-19 screening programme will be implemented in stages and the first stage, which commences today, will consist of screenings provided by healthcare service providers appointed by Socso.
“Priority will be given to employees who work in Covid-19 high-risk zones,” Socso said.
In the second phase, which will be announced soon, the screenings will be carried out at PSP Perkeso’s panel clinics.
“The Covid-19 testing under the PSP Perkeso is provided free of charge for workers whose employers are registered with Socso,” they said.
Registration can be done online at PSP Perkeso’s portal, using employees’ identification card number or Foreign Workers Social Security Number (KSPA) for foreign workers.
Details on the requirements and procedures for the screening programme are also available at the PSP Perkeso portal, Socso’s website and Socso’s official digital platform. - Mkini
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