MALAYSIA has been placed under a full-scale lockdown for two weeks from June 1 to 14. The decision was made by the National Security Council in a special meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
The announcement stated that all sectors are not allowed to operate during this first phase of the lockdown, except for essential economic and services sectors.
This has significantly impacted the aged-care sector as it is, indisputably, an essential service. There appears to have been an oversight of this, that has led to an industrial operational turmoil among operators.
Due to the sudden changes in implementation at the eleventh hour of this directive, the industry has found itself in a quagmire of horrendous inaccessibility to travel permits for staff, and uncertainties with work-related travel permits.
A case in point is the short notice of change – from being able to acquire the permits from their local ministries on May 30, to permits only being available from the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) on May 31, effectively within 24 hours.
To further complicate matters and increase frustrations, the challenges of overcoming the bureaucracy of the system and its requirements, as well as the Miti system crashing due to being overwhelmed by the enormous demand generated, further compounded anxieties.
This has left the entire aged-care sector in limbo, confused and angry, through no fault of their own, but due to the incapability of the system to cope with or accommodate the requirements of travel permits.
There also seem to be a lack of understanding by Miti in its insistence that only facilities licensed to operate are eligible to apply.
It needs to appreciate that there are many operators that are not in possession of a licence, but have a permit to operate while their licences are being processed, and are caught in a dilemma.
The processing of licences takes time and goes through many layers of departmental processing. It is unfair for them to be penalised.
In the scheme of things, it is ultimately the elderly residents of aged-care facilities who are the ones suffering, and sadly, they may also be placed at higher risk of contracting the Covid-19 virus.
If there is an outbreak in such facilities, it will be lamentable and disastrous.
As an interested party in the industry, we implore the government of the day to give utmost priority to this and clearly have a road map for workers in the aged-care sector to travel to and from work without uncertainty or fear of being fined.
The effort to secure this will greatly complement the government’s strategy to flatten the Covid-19 curve significantly.
We implore the government to address this as a matter of utmost urgency, to alleviate the anxiety of the industry. A simplified and direct process of application with clarity will go a long way towards achieving this. – The Vibes, June 5, 2021
Cecilia Chan is Association for Residential Aged Care Operators of Malaysia (AgeCope) vice-president
