KEPALA BATAS, May 27 — A housing construction site in Mukim 6, Bertam Putra, here was ordered closed for seven days from today due to movement control order (MCO) standard operating procedure (SOP) violations.

Penang Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) director, Zahidi Hashim said the closure would also allow them to conduct further investigation on the contractor regarding its workers there.

This followed the ‘disappearance’ of around 50 foreign workers after a raid was conducted by the authorities at the site around 11.30am today, he said.

“During the operation, CIDB issued a notice to get further information about the project site from the contractor as the contractor’s representative today said that there were 81 workers present but only 28 workers were gathered, so we want to know what happened to the rest.

“Checks also revealed that several MCO SOPs had been breached and the contractor was negligent in ensuring the workers carried out work according to the SOP, which could result in the spread of Covid-19,” he told reporters after the operation today.

The operation was conducted by around 60 officers and other personnel from the police, Seberang Jaya City Council, Health Ministry, Manpower Department and CIDB.

Meanwhile, North Seberang Perai district police chief, ACP Noorzainy Mohd Noor said they issued an RM20,000 compound after the contractor was found to have breached the SOP, including failing to prepare the MySejahtera QR code and the workers not undergoing Covid-19 screening.

“Mukim 6 is a red zone and there is a rise in Covid-19 cases there, so today’s operation is to ensure the contractors and workers comply with the SOP to ensure that the disease does not spread among construction workers,” he said.

On another development, Noorzainy said police arrested 16 individuals, including six women, all aged 19 to 60, for involvement in illegal lottery and online gambling activities in an operation conducted around the district yesterday.

He said 16 premises were inspected before the arrests were made and some of those arrested had been arrested before for the same offence.

“Police also seized equipment including betting slips, a mini printer and mobile phones, besides cash during the raid,” he said, adding that the case would be investigated under Section 4A(a) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 and Section 6(3) of the Betting Act 1953. — Bernama