Overkill to test all foreign workers, says employers group

The government has made it mandatory for employers to screen their foreign workers for Covid-19.

PETALING JAYA: An employers’ group has criticised the latest move to compel bosses to pay for the Covid-19 screening of their foreign workers, saying it is ill-timed with businesses struggling to restart after almost two months of lockdown.

The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) said employers could end up spending up to RM1 billion if they followed Putrajaya’s directive for the mandatory screening of all foreign workers beginning with those in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

MEF’s Shamsuddin Bardan also said the move was an “overkill” and could lead to a logistical nightmare as there are some 2.3 million documented foreign workers.

Shamsuddin said Covid-19 tests could cost around RM500 a person, an amount he said many employers could ill-afford at this time.

“It is unfair to employers. The announcement is a real dampener. It’s an overkill,” Shamsuddin told FMT.

“Many employers tell me that if this is the case, they might as well prohibit foreign workers from returning to work. It could even see some employers refusing to test their foreign workers.”

The 5,000-member MEF brings together private sector employer groups representing all sectors of commerce and industry in Malaysia.

Yesterday, Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that all foreign workers must undergo Covid-19 screening following a spike in positive cases among them in Ampang.

“As a preventive measure, the government has agreed to make it compulsory for all foreign workers in all sectors, be it the construction, manufacturing or commercial sectors, to undergo Covid-19 screening,” he said, adding that the cost would be borne by employers.

Shamsuddin said such tests would take half a year to complete.

“Do we have nothing else to do but line up to get a swab test? It will delay operations. Where is the economic logic in that?”

He added that the government should foot the bills for its policies, including the compulsory testing of foreigners.

“The government always insists that employers do everything.”

He said the government should also look into whether such a test is necessary, adding that the decision seemed based on the assumption that “all foreign workers have the virus in them”.

“There is no basis for the government to come to that conclusion.” - FMT