KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s proposal for employers to impose salary deductions on workers needing mandatory Covid-19 tests was inhumane and inconsiderate, said the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC).
The MTUC repeatedly stressed that the onus was on the government to conduct tests on workers, especially foreign workers, and bear the costs incurred.
Secretary-general J. Solomon, in a statement today, wrote how despite the government acknowledging that foreign workers were now a high-risk group, it had failed to take into account how workers were also among the poorer segments of society.
He pointed out how workers usually earn salaries well below the stipulated minimum wage and were the least be able to afford salary deductions.
“The onus to provide the funds for Covid-19 screenings is clearly the responsibility of employers and the government, not poorly paid workers.
“The government now sees foreign workers as a high-risk group for Covid-19, without acknowledging they are also the poorest segment of our community who can ill afford even a RM50 monthly deduction in salary,” he wrote.
He pointed out how the government mentioning its intention to avoid a situation experienced in Singapore, where infections have spiked in shared foreign workers accommodation, had failed to realise that tests in the island nation were paid for by their federal government.
“The Island republic does not use workers provident funds to underwrite it,” Solomon said.
Solomon then claimed Ismail’s suggestion was an indication of how the government were giving into demands of employers, and pointed out how even the government’s alternative option to use funds from the Social Security Organisation (Sosco) to pay for tests was done without proper considerations.
“Bearing in mind that around seven million workers have Socso coverage, the final bill for Covid-19 screening for Socso members is expected to run into tens, if not, hundreds of million of ringgit.
“Socso will have to fork out this money at a time when it is still reeling from a slew of bad investments made over the years,” said his statement.
Solomon then urged the government and employers alike to own up to their responsibilities during such times of uncertainties adding how companies who hire staff, especially foreign workers, carry the duty of footing the costs of their workers’ accommodation, wages, and healthcare costs.
He then called on Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the government to reject the proposal put forward by Ismail, and to put a stop to the persecution of the working class in Malaysians, regardless if they are locals or foreigners.
“Stop abusing or cashing in on their hard earned savings, be it in Socso or EPF, merely to pander to the selfish needs of unscrupulous employers and certain politicians,” he said.
Solomon was referring to the government’s previous announcement to allow contributors to withdraw cash from their Employers’ Provident Fund to weather the economic storm of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This after Ismail, in an interview with local daily New Straits Times, had suggested employers and its staff meet halfway in footing the bill for Covid-19 tests, after pushback from employer groups citing the high potential costs.
