MUAR (July 1): Following an alarming surge of Covid-19 instances at workers’ hostels, the police are now focussing their efforts on ensuring compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs). Internal Security and Public Order Department of Bukit Aman SAC of operations MV Employers in the manufacturing and industrial sectors, according to Srikumar Madhavan Nair, should not take the SOPs at workers’ accommodations lightly, as spelled forth in Phase 1 of movement control under the National Recovery Plan (PPN).
Most places of lodging in this industry, he noted, are of the centralised accommodation type, which houses workers from multiple factories in one hostel, posing a high risk of infection spread.
“”They do not place much emphasis on the SOPs at their workers’ hostels,” he told reporters after a compliance operation in the industrial area and workers’ hostels in Bukit Bakri today. “So far, employers have mostly complied with the SOPs at the workplace, such as physical distancing, the number of workers present, and several other aspects,” he said.
According to Srikumar, the police recommended that companies restrict the number of workers in a hostel to help prevent the virus from spreading.
“Previously, we only paid attention to people at work; now is the time for us to pay attention to their hostels and other places of lodging.”
Despite the fact that Selangor and Kuala Lumpur have become hotspots, we (the police) and other enforcement agencies will continue to monitor infections in all states and districts “Added he.
Personnel from the Muar Municipal Council, Muar District Health Office, Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia, and the Civil Defence Force participated in the inspections of four factories./n
