PUTATAN: Over 100,000 foreign workers in the State have yet to undergo Covid-19 screening tests, says Sabah Labour Department Director Wan Zukifli Wan Setapa.
He said there were 7,578 registered employers in Sabah who hired 115,157 foreign workers.
However, since December, only 3,200 employees involving 700 employers had taken the mandatory tests.
“So far, only 3,200 foreign workers involving 700 employers had taken the test since December last year,” he told reporters after conducting a Covid-19 screening test compliance operation at a factory hiring foreign workers, here, Monday.
Wan Zukifli said employers were urged to comply with the mandatory testing by Feb 28.
He said JTK, in collaboration with the Health Department and the Social Security Organisation (Socso), would conduct integrated operations and visit each premise to ensure that all foreign workers in Sabah underwent Covid-19 screening tests.
“If the employer fails to send their foreign workers for screening, then they can be penalised under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, also known as Act 342.
Each foreign worker who undergoes the screening test will receive a subsidy of RM60 and the remaining amount will be borne by the employer, while the test can be conducted at 78 clinics registered with Socso throughout Sabah.
Meanwhile, in RAUB, Pahang, Social Security Organisation (Socso) Chief Executive Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said nearly 105,000 of the 892,000 foreign workers in the country have underwent Covid-19 screening test as of Sunday.
He said a total of 574 clinics had been appointed in the red zone states for foreign workers to go for the screening in an effort to curb the spread of the pandemic.
“Employers who have not yet sent their foreign workers for screening are urged to do so. This programme is ongoing and we hope all foreign workers will be screened soon,” he told reporters.
Last December, Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan was reported to have said that effective Jan 1, 2021, employers are required to ensure their foreign workers are screened for Covid-19 and the test to be borne by them (employers).
