All foreign workers in Klang Valley, several states must take Covid-19 test

 

The government is mandating Covid-19 tests for all foreign workers across all sectors in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Sabah, and Labuan.

The test prescribed will be the antigen-based rapid test kit (RTK).

For workers registered with the Social Security Organisation (Socso), they will receive a subsidy of RM60 per test while employers will have to foot the rest of the bill.

For workers not registered with Socso, the full cost of the tests will be borne by the employers.

Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob made the announcement at a press conference in Putrajaya today.

“The implementation of tests for all foreign workers (in these areas) is because the risk of virus transmission among foreign workers is much higher compared to the risk of transmission among local workers,” he said, adding that this was due to the often cramped living conditions of foreign workers.

He added that this was just “phase one” of the government’s plan.

The reason for launching compulsory testing in the above-mentioned states and territories was because a bulk of the country’s 1.62 million foreign workers are concentrated there, Ismail said. - Mkini