THE Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy views with concern Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri’s remark yesterday allowing apartment and condominium management committees to demand Covid-19 swab tests and bar entry to residents who refuse to hand over their results.
“The use of tests in this manner is indicative of an inaccurate and incomplete understanding of the function and limitations of Covid-19 testing.
“This remark allows a course of action that will open the door to potential widespread abuse, vigilantism and discrimination. It will give a dangerous and false sense of security,” Azrul Mohd Khalib said. The centre’s chief executive officer was commenting on this recent development.
“Let us be clear. The actions by these condominium and apartment committees are not evidence-based. Unlike blood tests, Covid-19 testing, whether antigen-based or using polymerase chain reaction, only captures a person’s status at a certain point of time.
“A person can get infected just before taking the test, and have a negative test result. A negative result only means that the person did not have Covid-19 at the time of testing. The test does not protect or prevent a person from becoming positive or infected shortly after or later on.
“How about larger families? Will all family members be subjected to testing, and if yes, how frequent will that be? How much will it cost? Foreigners, especially migrants, including documented workers, will be vulnerable to abuse and blackmail.
“Does the management committee not only have access to confidential medical information, but also gets to decide on who can or cannot enter? Demands by such committees for the test results, copies of passports and pictures of those who are positive, and making entry into residences conditional upon compliance, are not only likely to be illegal, but also open up and opportunity for abuse and exploitation.
“The question is not whether, but when it will happen,” he emphasised.
“Giving apartments and condominiums this unjust authority will encourage vigilantism. Foreign workers have been disproportionately and unfairly blamed for the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak. This will fuel xenophobia.
“Will we see groups of righteous and self-anointed citizens standing at the gates of these premises, or knocking on doors of homes, demanding to see test results and claiming the right to do so in the name of collective protection, safety and security?
“Even Malaysians are not likely to be spared such harassment. In some places, residents are already encouraged to report on their neighbours.
“Like all previous epidemics, the effects of Covid-19 are exacerbated by such actions, which are based on fear and stigma. People are facing discrimination. Families are being ostracised by communities. The Covid-19 stigma is already causing prejudice, widening inequalities, increasing vulnerabilities to violence, harassment and ostracisation, as well as working against public health objectives intended to manage the epidemic. Lives are already being lost due to this stigma.
“Rather than defend the practice, the National Security Council should make it clear that it is not acceptable. These committees should instead focus their collective efforts on educating their residents, improving adherence to standard operating procedures, and ensuring good hygiene practices. This will yield better results, and a greater and more sustainable impact. The evidence and science show that this works.
“No one is safe, until everyone is safe.” – The Vibes, January 29, 2021
Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy is an independent public policy research and advocacy organisation
