PUTRAJAYA, Jan 30 — The Covid-19 screening programme will be expanded nationwide effective February 2, the Human Resources Ministry said.

Its minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan said the expansion was following the re-implementation of the movement control order (MCO) on January 13 and the announcement of Malaysian Economic and Rakyat’s Protection Assistance Package (Permai) on January 18.

The screening programme is implemented by the Social Security Organisation (Socso) with the cooperation of private clinics throughout the country which provide the RTK Antigen test approved by the Ministry of Health (MoH).

Socso bears the cost of the test kit while employers only need to pay for the clinic’s service charges, Saravanan said.

"Socso has allocated an additional RM54 million for this screening expansion exercise,” he said in a statement here today.

Saravanan said as for foreign workers who are not Socso contributors, their employers will bear the full cost of the tests.

The screening has been made compulsory under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).

Further details on this programme, including the list of clinics, will be updated on the Programme Saringan Prihatin portal at this link from time to time, he said.

Enquiries can be made via email hsp@perkeso.gov.my or its hotline 1-300-22-8000 or 03-4264 5089. — Bernama