We have actually been closing factories, 70 so far - minister

 

Seventy factories have been ordered to close for breaching Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs), said Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

"Perhaps we didn't announce it, so people only know about the most famous case involving the closure of rubber glove manufacturer Top Glove. The fact is, many factories were instructed to close (temporarily) by the government.

"Until May, a total of 70 factories were ordered to close for breaching the SOPs and rules set by the ministry," he said.

"When the government's (Covid-19) risk assessment disallowed the operation of certain factories, instructions will be issued for them to close," he told a press conference today.

He was asked to justify the government's decision to allow factories to operate under the recently announced MCO as factories have been a major cause of Covid-19 outbreaks in the past year.

Earlier this month, health portal CodeBlue reported that 47 percent of 314 Covid-19 clusters in the country from Feb 22 to April 2 came from factories and construction sites.

The government's SOP for the latest MCO was questioned for allowing factories and construction sites to operate but prohibiting the operation of spas, reflexology centres, nightclubs, pubs, theme parks, indoor playgrounds, family karaoke centres, and cinemas. - Mkini