Senior Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali recently said that only 5%-10% of Covid-19 cases from manufacturing sector - but somehow this 'facts' is lacking.
How many workers have become victims of Covid-19 in particular from all those MITI EXEMPTED workplaces that were not really essential services like health, food, police/RELA, etc?
How many workers got COVID-19 from their workplaces? How many of these workers(infected or otherwise) caused members of their homes, community, religious community to get Covid-19?
One worker infected has the possibility of infecting maybe even hundred others - when he goes home, involved in community activities, goes shopping for essential items, etc ...
Is it still 5-10% of those who have got Covid-19 just because the factories in the manufacturing sector have been allowed to operate? Be honest?
Besides the manufacturing sector, so many other workplaces have also been 'exempted' by the MITI, other Ministries and government/s - what about these figures.
Azmin's figures are for what period exactly - considering a day's data or since March 2020?
During the 1st MCO, things were strict - then later, the 'exemptions by MITI, etc' began.
MITI is 'International Trade', and we have a Ministry responsible for Domestic Trade - and the question is why Azmin and his Ministry is given the power to exempt, etc ..
MITI should have been focusing on INTERNATIONAL TRADE - i.e. trying to resolve contractual obligations of Malaysian companies to OVERSEAS companies, financial institutions and/or consumers. How many foreign companies and/or financial institutions has agreed to waive strict contractual obligations during this pandemic...how many foreign financial institutions have agreed to give a 'moratorium' or delays to in Malaysia companies.
IN Malaysia, the government has POWER to insist on moratorium, waivers of contractual obligations, etc - BUT what about the out-of-Malaysia companies. MITI should have been focusing on this aspect, and did they...
Now, many Malaysian companies may have signed 'unjust' agreements with foreign companies, where the applicable law may not be even Malaysian law, and the avenue of justice is NOT Malaysian Courts but some foreign court, or foreign arbitration body... So, when later these 'disputes' are dealt with, the companies in Malaysia may be prejudiced - so what has Azmin and MITI done about this?
Every MCO, we know exactly which workplace can continue to operate - and the government that has the FULL exact knowledge of the businesses operating in their region is the LOCAL GOVERNMENT(the Local Council) - all that was needed was a publication of the LIST of businesses allowed to operate by the respective Local Governments - no need to waste time in applications or the issuance of letters by exemption by MITI at all. If letters needed, the Local Authority (maybe with the local District Health department) could have done this..
In Temerloh, many car repair shops are still waiting for the MITI letters of exemption since beginning of June. Some got it very fast even before 1st June - and we ask why preferential treatment? Discrimination? Did 'connections' or maybe even 'corruption' play a part in how fast a qualified essential services provider gets their MITI exemption letters?
The big supermarkets(many foreign owned) got their letter of exemption - did all the local sundry shops get it at the same time?
In any event, given the fact that Malaysia may now be NUMBER ONE in the world in terms of new cases per million population, when Covid seems to have been subdued in most major countries, it is time for AZMIN and this BN-PN Plus government to RESIGN and let some other take over the battle against Covid-19.
Malaysia's failure in speedily battling Covid-19 is apparent - and hence the priorities, policies and actions of Muhyiddin and his government has FAILED.
The government cannot even provide monies, equivalent to maybe Minimum Wages to the many who have lost jobs and income as a result on this prolonged MCOs - the 1st MCO was good and effecting...but thereafter with all that 'exemptions' for some workplaces, it failed.
Malaysia (33 million population) is the worst even amongst out 'lesser developed' South East Asian neighbors...BILLIONS spent but it never reaches those really affected with no income for months...
Only 5%-10% of Covid-19 cases from manufacturing sector, says Azmin
SHAH ALAM (June 28): Only 5% to 10% of the total number of Covid-19 positive cases are from the manufacturing sector, Senior Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said.
He said data confirmed by the Ministry of Health (MoH) showed that 75% of the Covid-19 positive cases today were sporadic, which meant the virus was in the community, while another 25% came from various forms of clusters, including workplace clusters covering the manufacturing sector.
“Therefore, it is not true to put the blame on the economic sector, especially the manufacturing sector,” he told reporters after visiting the Setia City Convention Centre (SCCC) vaccination centre (PPV) here today.
He said when the government decided on allowing several economic sectors to operate, there was the probability of Covid-19 infection occurring in those sectors unlike the education and social sectors which had been completely shut down.
The decision, however, was made in the economic interest of the people, Mohamed Azmin added.
“[For] the economic sectors, especially those involving essential goods and services, we decided that some of them must be allowed to protect the economic well-being of the people.
“When there are [economic] activities, the probability [of Covid-19 infection] certainly exists but the number is not as large as announced [from the total number of cases] because the virus is already sporadic, and that is why we call for the pandemic to be overcome jointly by adhering to the strict standard operating procedures (SOPs),” he said.
Mohamed Azmin said Malaysia is part of the global supply chain and the government does not want any disruption to the supply of food, basic necessities and public health items, such as sanitisers and other pharmaceutical products.
Meanwhile, he said the Public-Private Partnership Covid-19 Industry Immunisation Programme (PIKAS) for now involves the manufacturing sector, and the government will focus on the construction and tourism sectors in the near future.
He also announced that a total of 16,564 workers had received vaccination in Penang, Johor and Selangor through PIKAS from June 16 until yesterday.
“As of yesterday, 669,846 workers from 4,537 companies across the country had registered with PIKAS and companies interested to join can get further information at www.miti.gov.my,” he said.
The SCCC vaccination centre under PIKAS that is managed by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) began vaccination for manufacturing sector workers in Selangor today.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Azmin said the centre is one of eight public-use vaccination centres in the country with approval to operate latest by July 5.
According to him, there are two types of vaccination centres under PIKAS, namely the public-use vaccination centres involving convention and exhibition centres as well as hotels and on-site vaccinations centres on the factory premises.
MITI said PIKAS is aimed to speed up vaccination for at least two million workers in the manufacturing sector by the end of the third quarter of this year (3Q21).
Under PIKAS, he said the government would provide free vaccination, while the private sector can administrate the vaccination centres, including the involvement of private medical services.
Employers will have to bear the full administration cost of the
workers’ vaccination and are not allowed to transfer the vaccination
administration cost by deducting workers’ salaries even if the worker no
longer works for the company after receiving the first dose, he added. - Edge Market, 28/6/2021
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