KOTA KINABALU – All plantation companies in Sabah must now ensure that their workers undergo Covid-19 tests, said State Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun.
This is following the detection of two new clusters in two Sabahan estates, namely Baturong Estate Cluster in Kunak with 54 positive cases, and Matamba Estate Cluster in Lahad Datu with 20 positive cases.
Masidi said that these clusters were established following mass screenings among estate workers funded by the Social Security Protection Scheme (PERKESO) recently.
“Following these mass screenings, we can expect a higher number of Covid-19 cases in Sabah in the next couple of days,” he said.
Masidi said the the figures in the two clusters speak volumes for the need to have estates’ staff and workers screened.
“Each estate is also required to provide basic health facilities, and set up a low risk treatment centre to house their positive workers.
“They could do this as a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes as it is for the welfare of their own workers,” he said.
However, Masidi said he would not specify punishment that would be taken against estate companies which fail to comply with this requirement, as it is the responsibility of all parties to stop the spreading of the deadly virus.
“If they do not take care of the health and wellbeing of their own workers, soon they are the ones who will bear the consequences,” he added.
He said companies should also fork out their own budget to screen workers which are not under PERKESO.
Sabah recorded 514 new Covid-19 cases today, with most of them from Lahad Datu (81), Tawau (74), followed by Kunak (63). – The Vibes, January 15, 2021
