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KUCHING, Feb 10 — Almost all of the foreign workers detected recently by the Covid-19 Health Screening Task Force (TF-PSKC19) have yet to be tested for Covid-19, said Sarawak Labour Department director Awang Raduan Awang Omar yesterday.
He explained that a 30-member TF-PSKC19 team comprising officers from his department, Social Security Organisation (Socso) and the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has been detecting foreign workers employed by locals in Sarawak since Jan 15 in the state’s southern region.
“As of February 9, 2021, a total of 1,175 employers have been found employing 12,208 foreign workers around Kuching, Kota Samarahan, Lundu and Sematan.
“Out of these, 10,995 of these foreign workers were not yet screened (for Covid-19). Notices have been served on their employers to send them for Covid-19 screening. Each employer is given 14 days from the date of notice issuance to do it,” he said in a statement.
He pointed out the TF-PSKC19 programme is one of the measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 among foreign workers in Sarawak in line with the latest decision by the government that employers must send their foreign workers for Covid-19 screening.
He also said the programme implementation is based on the assessment by the Ministry of Health (MoH) which found the risk of infection among foreign workers is higher than local workers.
“It is in line with provisions of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) (No. 9) Regulations 2020 which was gazetted on Dec 31, 2020,” he said.
He also explained that the employers can send their foreign workers for Covid-19 screening at selected private clinics or hospitals which use the RTK Antigen method approved by the MoH or refer to the directory found on PSP portal (http://psp.perkeso.gov.my).
He said test kits will be funded by Socso and employers only need to pay for the cost of services imposed by the clinic or hospital.
“For foreign workers who are not Socso contributors, screening costs must be fully borne by the employer,” he added.
Apart from detecting foreign workers, he said the TF-PSKC19 team also inspected the accommodation provided for the foreign workers, especially those in the plantation and manufacturing sectors.
“The purpose of the inspection is to ensure employees’ accommodation meets the minimum standard of accommodation prescribed under Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1900 (Act 446).
“Advice was given to employers to provide conducive accommodation and to play a more serious role in maintaining hygiene and safety to eliminate the spread of Covid-19,” he said. — Borneo Post