MMA: Impractical to test all foreign workers for Covid-19

Malaysia is unlikely to have the capacity to test all foreign workers for Covid-19 within a short period of time, said the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA).

In a statement today, its president N Ganabaskaran said most employers are likely to have already sustained losses and will thus find the exercise unaffordable.

"We feel the targeted approach in testing, as adopted by the Health Ministry for hotspots, could perhaps be taken for now.

"It must also be noted that a person can still be at risk of infection after testing if they do not observe proper preventive measures," he said.

In view of this, Ganabaskaran said what the MMA proposed was to enforce the "new normal" which includes the necessary measures to reduce the chances of spreading the virus.

He said most foreign workers in Malaysia are likely to live or travel in conditions where social distancing was a challenge.

"Efforts must be made to look into the work environment and living conditions of foreign workers, in particular, those working at factories and at construction sites.

"These sectors must adapt quickly to the new norm and ensure social distancing and personal hygiene are observed at all times at the workplace," he said.

Other measures include the communication of the "new normal" and guidelines in languages familiar to these foreign workers to ensure they fully understand and adhere to these practices.

Ganabaskaran also urged the government to cooperate with the relevant NGOs to reach out to undocumented migrants.

Under the conditional MCO's rules, employers are required to test their workers for Covid-19 infection before their businesses are allowed to resume operations. - Mkini