Six factories in Bayan Lepas industrial zone shut temporarily following infections

GEORGE TOWN –  At least six factories in Penang’s famous Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone have been forced to temporarily shut down due to Covid-19, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow revealed today.

Without disclosing their names, Chow said that the closures were necessary for screening and sanitisation of the premises where positive cases of Covid-19 were found.

The industrial area is a regional design and manufacturing hub for some of the world’s top electronic equipment companies.

“If they do not close down now, there would be a bigger price to pay," Chow told a press conference here.

He said that the manufacturing companies’ owners and management officials understand the gravity of the situation and that the closures are in compliance with standard operating procedures (SOP) of the Health Ministry to contain the pandemic.

“They are aware they need to comply. In fact, two weeks ago I already made a call for the factories to tighten the SOPs not only in the factory environment but also at the workers’ dormitories, their transportation (vehicles) and their workplaces.

“It is good for the state if the factories are stringent. If we were unable to control the spread, I think the damage could have been bigger and probably would have led to a complete lockdown,” he said.

Chow said this when he was asked to comment on the effect upon factories in Bayan Lepas in view of losses in production time running into the millions.

Several factories were ordered to close temporarily to facilitate their workers to undergo preliminary testing for the virus and get the premises sanitised.

Parts of Bayan Baru and Bayan Lepas were recently placed under the controlled movement control order (CMCO) to check the spread of the virus. It marked the first time in five months that a locality on Penang island was subjected to CMCO since the pandemic erupted in March.

Meanwhile,Chow said that Penang received RM1.5 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) and domestic direct investment (DDI) in the third quarter of this year. Some 73% or RM1.1 billion came from DDI and the remaining RM401 million came from FDI.

“For the first time we have received RM 1.1 billion from DDI. The inflows from the third quarter brought Penang’s total approved manufacturing investments for the first nine months at RM10.6 billion,”   – The Vibes, November 19, 2020