In response to Covid-19, DISCRIMINATION against foreigners and migrant workers is now happening in Malaysia.
Most recently, have been barring of foreigners from the Malaysian mosques and suraus -
Minister Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad has expressed his sympathy for Muslim foreigners in Malaysia who up until now are not permitted to attend Friday and daily prayers in mosques and suraus despite the reopening in stages of places of worship here.
Earlier, in May, the PN government said that ALL migrant workers need to be screened for Covid-19 before allowed to return to work...a mandatory requirement for foreign workers but not for Malaysian workers...JOKE or what?
As Covid-19 cases have risen for two consecutive days at a construction site at Jalan Ampang here, authorities have decided that foreign workers must now undergo mandatory screening for the infectious disease....he said that the requirement applies to foreign workers in all sectors, including the food and beverage industry.
Rationality is questionable - Covid-19 does not DISCRIMINATE, and Malaysia too did not in the past discriminate on the basis of nationality, ethnicity or religion when it came to Covid-19.
Those who required to be screened were persons who came into contact with persons infected...All workers in a workplace where Covid-19 infection happened is reasonable...but just migrant workers and not ALL workers?
Screened and determined free of Covid-19 today does not even mean that they will not be infected tomorrow...or the day after. The DG also told us before this, that they do not simply screen everybody - just the high-risk groups, being persons who may have come into contact with persons infected, their family members, their work-mates, etc
If no Covid-19 in a particular town or workplace, WHY screen people there?
Are migrant workers being screened because of Singapore's failure to keep migrant workers safe? ...because Covid-19 was detected in undocumented migrant workers detention centres?...because Covid-19 was detected amongst migrant workers in some construction sites...or workplaces?
If Covid-19 amongst migrant workers were detected in Selangor and KL, is there any logic for the screening of migrant workers in Kelantan or Pahang?
It would be stupid to also ban Tabligh members...or even persons in churches where covid-19 has been detected.
Our DG of health also did say that a person infected may not be positive for Covid-19 when tested - because it takes time for consequences of infection to manifest for it to give a positive result when screened?
One must also consider Malaysia's daily testing capacity - and the fact that there are about 2 million documented migrant workers. How many days will it take for this screening? How much will it COST Malaysia or SOCSO who is now doing these screening? At the end of the day, the cost is borne by us Malaysians, is it now?
For close contact occupations, like barbers, hair dressers, etc - it may be acceptable to insist on daily ---or weekly screening as they come into close contact with so many customers, and some of these customers may be infected - thus to keep these workers safe, and also prevent the risk of transmission to other healthy customers - daily or weekly mandatory screening may be reasonable...but it should be for all, not just MIGRANT workers?
So, after mandatory screenings for ALL migrant workers, they go to work with local un-screened Malaysian workers, who may be infected, and so they get infected..
If there was a VACINE, insisting that all be vaccinated to prevent being infected by Covid-19, that may be justifiable...BUT SCREENING?
Remember, than many workers simply do not get paid if they do not work - like the 'daily waged worker' ; Government must abolish the 'daily waged' worker - and insist that all workers are monthly waged regular workers.
Our MINIMUM WAGE is simply not enough to survive - for survival, workers need to work because they really depend on OVERTIME work, other allowances, etc...
How many MIGRANT workers are covered by SOCSO? As of 1/1/2020, it should already be ALL documented migrant workers?
Now, how much contribution do employers and migrant workers make per month? per year? ...Compare with the cost of these 'screening' - it is most likely that monies collected may not be even sufficient to cover the screening. Remember, SOCSO needs monies to cover all kinds of compensations, pension schemes, rehabilitation and treatment charges when workers are infected by Covid-19, suffers injury or dies at the workplace. TIME for the Minister(or government) to reveal the impact to SOCSO and the peoples' monies?
Remember, our FEDERAL CONSTITUTION says in Article 8(1) All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law.
It talks about 'persons' and not 'citizens' - so Malaysia must treat everyone in Malaysia equally - so is this 'Discriminatory' practices now now in violation of our own Constitution?
Minister says sorry foreigners barred from Malaysian mosques, insists not an excuse to discriminate
.JPG "Malaysian Muslims observe social distancing at the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur May 15, 2020. — Picture by Hari Anggara")
PUTRAJAYA, June 11 — Minister Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad has expressed
his sympathy for Muslim foreigners in Malaysia who up until now are not
permitted to attend Friday and daily prayers in mosques and suraus
despite the reopening in stages of places of worship here.
The religious affairs minister said the concept of caste or social
standings does not exist within Islam, and insisted the government never
had any intention to deny foreigners their right to worship alongside
Malaysian adherents.
“On behalf of the Malaysian government, there was never any
intention for us to deny you the right to pray alongside us, since we
are all believers. Clearly this was the case before the pandemic
erupted, when foreigners were free to pray at any mosque or surau,” he
said in a special press conference.
“But as mentioned the opening of mosques and suraus is in stages,
since it first began on May 15.
Therefore, the government has considered
that for the time being it should be limited to Malaysian citizens
first,” he said.
The minister in the Prime Minister’s Department affirmed the decision
to prioritise Malaysian citizens to pray in mosques or suraus first as a
precautionary measure due to Covid-19, before they can be fully
reopened for everyone in the later stages.
“Nonetheless, this should not be used as an excuse [by the Malaysian
public] to behave rudely or roughly towards foreigners, nor should they
be shunned as a result,” Zulkifli said.
“Islamic law upholds the principles of human rights, as well as the
concept of fraternity, justice and tolerance among all humankind.
“Lessening the suffering of others, assisting and guaranteeing
protection to those who need it, even if they are enemies, is an
important part of the law,” he added.
On Sunday, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said only
Malaysians are allowed to attend congregational prayers including Friday
prayers in local mosques, even as the movement control order (MCO) has
entered the recovery phase.
He said the decision was made due to the alleged higher number of cases of Covid-19 among foreigners.
The decision was panned by Malaysians and Muslims nationwide for its
perceived xenophobia, exacerbated by a viral photo of an anti-Rohingya
banner hung nearby a surau in Masai, Johor.
Zulkifli had earlier today announced that mosques and suraus located
in Covid-19 “green zones” within the Federal Territories are now allowed
to fill one-third of their congregational capacity for Friday and
obligatory prayers.- Malay Mail, 11/6/2020
Covid-19 swab test compulsory for foreign workers nationwide
KUALA
LUMPUR: As Covid-19 cases have risen for two consecutive days at a
construction site at Jalan Ampang here, authorities have decided that
foreign workers must now undergo mandatory screening for the infectious
disease.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob
said this will be done as a precautionary measure to curb the spread of
Covid-19.
He said that the requirement applies to foreign workers in all sectors, including the food and beverage industry.
"For
two consecutive days, we found there was an increase in Covid-19
positive cases and this occurred among foreign workers at a construction
site in Ampang.
"As a precautionary measure, we agreed that foreign workers in all
sectors, be it construction, factories or restaurants, undergo a
mandatory swab test," he said during his daily press conference, today.
He said the cost of the screening will be borne by the employers.
He said the Health Ministry (MOH) has suggested that screening start in KL and Selangor.
To curb the spread of the deadly infection, Ismail Sabri said the
Works Ministry has sealed the site at Jalan Ampang, and that any other
construction site with Covid-19 positive cases will be closed
immediately.
On another matter, he said that the number of Malaysians returning from Singapore per day is still between 300 and 350.
He said there has been no mass return of Malaysians from the city state. - New Straits Times, 2/5/2020
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