KUALA LUMPUR – The Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) has proposed to the government to review the three thresholds of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) and other critical actions for a faster transition to Phase 2 of the movement control order.
The federation has also called for the opening up of more sectors to minimise the damage to businesses and the economy as well as specific actions for areas that have been put under the enhanced movement control order (EMCO).
It proposed that the government undertake mass testing for all, including foreign workers and undocumented foreign workers, within the two-week EMCO scheduled to end on July 16.
The FMM also urged confirmed vaccination appointments for all under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme and Public-Private Partnership Industrial Covid-19 Immunisation Programme so that industries affected can resume operations after the EMCO period.
“To minimise the impact on both the industry and economy, states/areas where cases are lower and under control should be allowed to operate without any distinction between essential and non-essential sectors,” it said in a statement today.
The federation also called for a comprehensive strategy for the vaccination of undocumented foreign workers as they could pose a threat to the attainment of herd immunity if unvaccinated.
“While waiting for immunisation to be completed, continue with mass testing of the general public, including for foreign workers and especially the undocumented ones, as mass testing has been proven to be a very effective approach to pick up positive cases and trigger the necessary tracing, isolation and treatment protocols,” it added.
FMM said a comprehensive strategy and action plans are needed to address the likely shift of the Covid-19 pandemic into an endemic, and how the population will have to “live with it”.
In addition, it said companies with approvals from the International Trade and Industry Ministry’s Covid-19 Intelligent Management System (CIMS) under the warm idle mode should be allowed to continue to operate at 10% capacity under the EMCO as it is highly costly to switch machinery and equipment on and off.
The government should also increase the capacity of intensive care units (ICUs) instead of waiting for ICU bed occupancy rates to be lowered to moderate levels. – Bernama, July 2, 2021
