(June 28) SHAH ALAM: The manufacturing sector accounts for about 5% to 10% of all Covid-19 positive instances, according to Senior Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali. According to statistics certified by the Ministry of Health (MoH), 75 percent of today’s Covid-19 positive cases were sporadic, indicating that the virus was present in the community, while another 25% came from various types of clusters, including workplace clusters in the manufacturing sector.
“As a result, blaming the economic sector, particularly the manufacturing sector, is not accurate,” he told reporters after touring the Setia City Convention Centre (SCCC) vaccination center (PPV) here today.
He claimed that when the government chose to reopen several commercial sectors, there was a risk of Covid-19 infection in those areas, as opposed to the education and social sectors, which were entirely sealed off.
The decision, however, was taken in the people’s economic interests, according to Mohamed Azmin.
“When there are [economic] activities, the probability [of Covid-19 infection] exists, but the number is not as large as announced [from the total number of cases] because the virus is already sporadic, and we decided that some of them must be allowed to protect the economic well-being of the people. “When there are [economic] activities, the probability [of Covid-19 infection] exists, but the number is not as large as announced [from the total number of cases] because the virus is already spora
Malaysia is a part of the global supply chain, according to Mohamed Azmin, and the government does not want any disruptions in the delivery of food, basic commodities, and public health items like sanitizers and other medicinal supplies.
Meanwhile, he stated that the manufacturing sector is the focus of the Public-Private Partnership Covid-19 Industry Immunisation Programme (PIKAS) for the time being, with the government focusing on the construction and tourist sectors in the near future.
He also stated that from June 16 to yesterday, a total of 16,564 workers in Penang, Johor, and Selangor have received vaccination through PIKAS.
“As of yesterday, 669,846 workers from 4,537 companies had registered with PIKAS,” he added, adding that companies interested in joining can receive more information at www.miti.gov.my.
Vaccinations for manufacturing sector workers in Selangor commenced today at the SCCC vaccination center under PIKAS, which is supervised by the International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI).
Meanwhile, Mohamed Azmin stated that the center is one of eight public use immunization centers in the country that received authorisation to begin operations as of July 5.
According to him, under PIKAS, there are two types of vaccination centers: Public Use vaccination centers, which include convention and exhibition centers as well as hotels, and On-Site vaccination centers, which are located on the plant grounds.
According to MITI, the goal of PIKAS is to get at least two million manufacturing workers vaccinated by the end of the third quarter of this year.
He explained that under PIKAS, the government would give free vaccines while the private sector would manage the vaccination centers, which would include private medical services.
Employers would be responsible for the full cost of their employees’ vaccinations, and they will not be able to shift the expenses by deducting workers’ salary, even if the employee no longer works for the company after obtaining the first dosage, he noted.
As of June 27, there were 669,846 workers from 4,537 companies registered under PIKAS, according to MITI.
