KUALA LUMPUR: A second full lockdown will lead to irreparable damage to the business sector and the economy, with a devastating impact on business survival and job security, according to the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM).
It urged industries to give their full cooperation and play their part by taking additional proactive and preventive measures to tighten existing standard operating procedures (SOP) at the workplace and living quarters of employees.
“Industries are deeply alarmed by the Health Ministry warning that the country’s health system is at breaking point due to overwhelming active Covid-19 cases.
“We are equally concerned about the latest updates that there are currently 318 active Covid clusters, of which 99 are from the manufacturing sector,” FMM president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai said in a statement yesterday.
He said in view of this, FMM has issued another reminder to all its members on the additional measures that must be taken to protect their workforce and contain the spread of infections.
Soh said as worker hostels and housing have been identified as breeding grounds for Covid-19, there is an urgent need for employers to accord greater attention to the living conditions of all workers and ensure they comply with strict SOP, including the requirement for physical distancing in the living environment.
He said this would also include imposing the same requirements on the living conditions of sub-contract workers and complying with the government’s directive for all foreign workers to be screened.
“Mass testing has proven to be a very effective approach to pick up positive cases and trigger the necessary protocols that would ensure swift action and minimal disruption to operations.”
He said the capacity of vehicles or buses to ferry workers needed to be kept at 50% or below to ensure physical distancing is maintained in such vehicles while transporting workers.
In addition, he said companies must appoint senior members of management to ensure that the SOP are strictly complied with at the workplace, including during rest and mealtimes.
“Isolate suspected or positive Covid-19 cases at a dedicated point similar to a self-quarantine area, away from other workers and immediately notify the nearest state or district health departments.
“Advocate a ‘safe work bubble’ for employees by monitoring and limit employee movement to a minimum. Daily travel should be limited to commuting from home to the workplace and back,” he said.
