MACC investigating possible corruption in Sg Gong pollution, and finally Directors, not just the Company being charged?

Many times, companies break laws - and it is just the company that is charged in court > it is rather foolish, when the real 'decision makers' of what companies do or do not do are never are made personally criminally liable for their actions/omissions - The owners(shareholders) and the Directors are the human persons that decide or not whether the company breaks the law or follows the law - so, when the law is broken, they, the owners and Directors must be charged and tried in court. Hence, it is a step in the right direction when the Directors of the company that allegedly polluted our waters are charged in court.

 

CORRUPTION - How can Malaysian competent authorities, who make sure the laws are followed find no wrong in some law-breaking businesses. When was the last inspection done by the government authorities, that would have made sure that waste disposal was done in the correct way in accordance to law...If it happened, and enforcement done, then our waters would never have been polluted. It is sad, when our earnest inspection and enforcement too many times happen 'after the fact' - after the crime have been committed..

 

Was the inspecting and/or investigating worker 'BRIBED' - Did the department/agencies heads know about this?  Or were they also 'BRIBED" - Was it the Minister or the Chief Minister who was 'BRIBED'?

 

Corruption need to be weeded out no matter who was involved in committing the crime.

 

Many workers/people also often do not even bother complaining or claiming to the relevant departments and Ministries responsible for the protection of their rights and/or upholding the law - simply because they believe that most relevant enforcement officers, agencies and even mechanisms may have already been compromised by 'bribes' and hence the struggle for justice will fail - and reporting/complaining is simply a waste of time. 

 

This is a sad state of affairs that demands the government including the MACC to speedily weed out corruption.

The company Directors of ONE of the companies who allegedly polluted our waters have been charged in court...

BUT should not the relevant officers, head of departments, etc - who became 'BLIND" to the existence of wrongdoings also be charged now. Their failure in timely enforcement may be said to have caused this pollution.

The biggest CULPRIT is not the giver of 'bribes' but really the relevant government officers, who because of the bribes, did not do their jobs as they are supposed to. When  someone tries to bribe a public official, that official must immediately make a report to MACC - why did they not do so? Their failure propagates corruption.

 

Bad 'public officers' should also be charged in court.

If the enforcers of law did their jobs, then they would have inspected workplaces to make sure that it follows the law - that the waste are disposed properly in accordance to law - and not disposed 'illegally' so as to affect our water supply...

ONE company has been identified - but can the waste of just one company affect our waters in such a drastic way - I hope that the other 'water polluters' will be speedily identified. No violator of the law, even with strong connections to government or politicians should escape..

In any event, the Directors of this one company, that have been charged in court have all pleaded NOT GUILTY - so, we shall watch the trial. Hope that this one company is not simply made the 'SCAPEGOAT" and take the entire blame, whilst other law-breakers get off scott free..

MACC - their credibility still need to be strengthened. After all, before GE14, did they not vet all the BN candidates - and then we see so many of these same previously MACC vetted BN candidates being later charged, and even the then Prime Minister has already been convicted and sentenced. What was interesting is that their offences were committed pre-GE14.

MACC should stop vetting election candidates or even asking MPs to sign 'anti-curruption pledges' > they should just focus on enforcement of the law.

MACC and the police must be INDEPENDENT, and be seen to be INDEPENDENT - and they must certainly be independent of the PM, Ministers, etc ..

Government of the day seems to be still too involved in the appointed of the head of MACC and even the Police > should we get a more independent body or system to do this...

Now, in the Sg. Gong case, if it is NOT corruption - then it will be incompetence and inefficiency on the part of the agencies, departments and Ministries responsible to ensure no one pollutes our waters...and threaten the health of us..

Will this problem be thoroughly investigated and acted on ....or will it also be 'forgotten' soon?

 

 

MACC investigating possible corruption in Sg Gong pollution

Nation


Tuesday, 15 Sep 2020 12:32 PM MYT

By RAHIMY RAHIM

• 
  

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has initiated investigations into the Sungai Gong pollution incident.

"I cannot divulge the full details but we are currently scrutinising it and looking at several issues under our purview," MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki told reporters at the "Corporate Liability – Are You At Risk Forum" here on Tuesday (Sept 15).

He said the investigations were being conducted together with the police and other relevant authorities.

On Sept 14, the police submitted investigation papers on the Sungai Gong pollution incident to the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC).

Environment and Water Minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said in a press conference that the papers were submitted to the AGC last week.

He said action could be taken under Section 43 of the Environment Quality Act against a company that caused pollution, as well as its management.

Last week, police remanded several people as part of its investigation into the pollution of Sungai Gong in Rawang after a solvent was dumped into the river caused the disruption of water supply to 1.2 million people early this month.

Subsequently, four company directors and a workshop manager were charged in connection with the case at the Selayang Sessions Court today (Sept 15).- Star, 15/9/2020

 

Four company directors, workshop manager charged over pollution of Sungai Gong

Tuesday, 15 Sep 2020 11:00 AM MYT

Four company directors and a workshop manager linked to the recent pollution of Sungai 

Gong arrive at the Selayang Magistrate's Court September 15, 2020.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 — Four company directors and a workshop manager were charged in the Selayang Sessions Court here today in connection with the pollution in Sungai Gong which resulted in water supply disruption to more than 1.2 million people recently.

They are brothers Yip Kok Wai, 53; Yip Kok Mun, 58; Yip Kok Kuin, 70; and Yip Kok Wong, 60, who are the board of directors of Yip Chee Seng & Sons Sdn Bhd , and Ho Voon Leong, 59, who is the manager of the company's workshop.

All of them pleaded not guilty to charges made against them before judge Syafeera Mohd Said. 

On the first count, they were all charged under Section 430 of the Penal Code with committing mischief by causing hazardous waste from the workshop to flow into Sungai Gong, hence causing a diminution of water supply for human consumption.

They were charged with committing the act at the workshop at Kg Sungai Dua, Rawang, near here between last Sept 2 and 3.

If found guilty, they face imprisonment for up to 30 years or with fine, or both.

The five men were also jointly charged with emitting environmentally hazardous substances from the workshop into a waterway, which then flowed into Sungai Gong, without a licence at the same place and time.

 The charge was made under Section 25 (1) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 which provides a maximum fine of RM100,000, or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, if found guilty.

All of them were not allowed bail and the court set Oct 27 for mention. — Bernama - Malay Mail, 15/9/2020

 

Prioritize worker rights, safety and health at workplaces when dealing with illegal factories(31 groups)

Media Statement:- 16/9/2020

Prioritize worker rights, safety and health at workplaces when dealing with illegal factories

Charge in court - No compounds for those who commit crimes that cause injury, death or impacts public health

We, the 31 undersigned groups, trade unions, persons and organisations are appalled by the disclosure that there are still today about 2,900 illegal factories in Selangor, and the concern is about worker rights, including occupational safety and health. In September 2019, the State government disclosed that from 2013, there are about 2,885 unlicensed factories, and as of 2018, only 630 have been legalized (Star, 24/9/2019)

It is odd that the government and its many enforcement authorities and its officers were not aware before of these illegal factories, and this fact raises the possibility of corruption, a matter that the anti-corruption authorities must look into.

A worker is entitled to rights, which include employment security and all other rights, including those provided by Malaysian law. Registration and minimum contributions must be made to SOCSO to ensure worker’s social security protection, especially when a worker is infected by an occupational disease, suffers injury, disability and even death. For their old age survival, the law sets the minimum monthly contributions to be made by employer and worker. When a workplace is illegal, the concern is whether workers’ rights are also being denied.

Would an illegal factory even have the needed permits and licenses to do certain work activities, including dangerous and life threatening work? Would the authorities involved in ensuring occupational safety and health of the workplace even know of these illegal establishments, or do the necessary workplace inspections, to ensure that the workplace is safe – hence a low risk of workplace injuries or death.

If a worker working in an ‘illegal’ factory have his worker rights violated, would he/she even have recourse to justice? Would the employer even pay the worker what is owing to them, including back wages, unpaid overtime and other unpaid monies? Would a worker in such a factory even be able to claim reinstatement (or compensation in lieu of reinstatement), when he/she is wrongfully dismissed?

Any illegal factory or workplace, can and ought to have been speedily discovered and action taken in accordance to law.

Most workers who are employed in these ‘illegal’ workplaces, most probably verily believe that they are working in a legal workplace, that is in compliance with all laws governing employment and workplaces.

After all, how could it be illegal, when they get water and electricity from government agencies or agencies linked to government? How can they even operate illegally, without the knowledge of the Local Council (local government), State government or Federal government in Malaysia where the public perception is that the relevant law enforcement authorities are efficient, a perception often reinforced by media reports about numerous crackdowns on law breakers including drunk drivers, drug dependents, undocumented migrants and other suspected criminals.

Hence, how is it even possible for any illegal factory or workplace to exist in Malaysia, especially one that employs many workers. It was shocking to read a report that stated that one of these suspected companies, suspected in polluting our water supply, which resulted in about 5 million people (or 1.2 million consumer accounts)  being denied water supply, was known by the local government concerned and had been operating without a license since 2014.

Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) corporate department director Mohamad Zin Masoad said data also showed that the factory had never applied for a license since it started operating six years ago. “We have issued the latest notice to them in March but they ignored it. Besides operating without a license, we also found that the factory was built without MPS permission,” he said after putting up an illegal structure notice at the factory here today.(Edge Markets, 7/9/2020). Any business operation within any local council area needs to renew their permit/licenses to operate every year, so it is strange that illegal workplaces are not discovered.

Mohamad Zin also said all of the factories were placed in the legalisation process list and were given time until Dec 31, 2020, to submit documentation so that operation permits could be issued to them. “According to the [Selangor] state government’s directive, we cannot demolish the plants under the legalization process (introduced in 2012 and extended until Dec 31, 2020’. (Edge Markets, 7/9/2020).  

Giving an illegal factory/workplace one to 3 months, to become legal is understandable, but allowing them many years until end of 2020 is just unacceptable.

For the benefit of workers, including their employment and income, it may be best that discovered illegal factories best be given the chance to legalize, but at the same time their law breaking acts must not go unpunished.

Prioritize worker rights, safety and health in legalization process

In the legalization process, laws regarding worker rights, safety and health should be prioritized, compared to other issues like land classifications and/or construction approvals.

If this be the current state of affairs, then the government can be held responsible for the deprivation of water supply the people suffered, since they allowed this ‘Illegal’ factory to continue operating, without complying laws including possibly laws concerning workers occupational safety and health.

Law Breaking Companies Must Be Charged in Court, and not offered compounds

For example, according to just the Water Services Industries Act 2006, this company, if they are convicted they will be liable to a sentence of imprisonment up to ten years, a fine not exceeding RM500,000 or to whipping or to all three.

In this case, the Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun in a statement said to date, no investigation paper on the raw water pollution incident in Selangor had been referred to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC). Generally, only after investigation papers are submitted to the AGC, will the prosecution take action and charge the law violators in court.(Edge Markets, 8/9/2020)

However, in this case, the Selangor government agencies, on their own, decided to take administrative action by offering compounds for allegedly 30 different violations. ‘…Selangor Water Management Board (LUAS), Air Selangor, Selangor Department of Environment (DoE), Selayang Municipal Council and the State Environment Committee conducted an investigation. Thirty compounds totalling RM60,000 were issued to Yip Chee Seng & Sons Sdn Bhd..’ the Attorney General Idrus said that the compounds were issued without any reference to investigation papers by the AGC.(Edge Markets, 8/9/2020)

Compounds undermines justice, and protects companies

Issuing compounds is an administrative action, and payment of compounds avoids the possibility of the alleged offenders being charged and tried in court for the same offence.

Companies that commit crimes, that endanger public health, injures or kills workers should never be offered compounds, but should be charged and tried in open court. When charged in court, the accused company and/or its officers can always plead guilty, and the courts will take into account the guilty plea, in determining the just sentence that would be imposed.

If charged in court for a crime, the courts also have the power to even order that the affected victims be compensated in a criminal trial.

Convictions matters unlike compounds. The number of past similar convictions will be an aggravating factor, which will lead the court to impose higher sentences on repeat offenders.

Doubts linger as to whether this alleged particular company is even the real culprit, or just one of the many other culprits who caused the water supply to be contaminated, who have yet to be prosecuted. Note that so many water treatment plants had to be shut down.

The offering of compounds, which could be influenced by other factors including corruption, and, as such, for crimes that puts at risk the lives and health of many and/or causes death and injury to workers must end. Such law breakers must all be charged and tried in open court by an independent judge.

We call on the Minister of Human Resources, including the Department of Occupational Safety and Health, to immediately inspect all these 2,900 illegal factories in Selangor, and others in Malaysia to ensure that all laws concerning worker rights, including occupational safety and health are being complied with. It is a folly to wait until a worker dies or is injured.

Charles Hector

Apolinar Z. Tolentino, Jr.

 

For and on behalf the 31 listed below

Center for Orang Asli Concerns(COAC)

Electronic Industry Employees Union Southern Region Peninsular Malaysia(EIEUSRPM)/Kesatuan Sekerja Industri Elektronik Wilayah Selatan, Semenanjung Malaysia (KSIEWSSM)Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor(PSWS)

Jaringan Solidariti Pekerja (JSP)

Kesatuan Pekerja Atlas Edible Ice Sdn. Bhd.

MADPET (Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture)

Malaysians in Action For Justice and Unity (MAJU)

National Union of Transport Equipment and Allied Industries Workers (NUTEAIW) West Malaysia

Network of Action for Migrants in Malaysia (NAMM)

North South Initiative(NSI)

Sabah Timber Industry Employees Union (STIEU)

Sosialis Alternatif (SA)

Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM)

Timber Employees Union Peninsular Malaysia (TEUPM)

Union of Forestry Employees Sarawak (UFES)

WH4C (Workers Hub For Change)

Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) Asia Pacific Region

Bangladesh Group Netherlands

IMA Research Foundation, Bangladesh

International Black Women For Wages For Housework

Global Women’s Strike

Labour Behind the Label, United Kingdom

Legal Action for Women, United Kingdom

MARUAH, Singapore

Myanmar Human Rights Alliances Network (MHRAN)

National Garments Workers Federation (NGWF), Bangladesh

Pakistani Christian Refugee Fellowship (PCRF)

Payday Men’s Network (UK/US)

Safety and Rights Society, Bangladesh

Women Of Color Global Women’s Strike

Worker Empowerment, Hong Kong

Dr Ronald McCoy, the founder of Nobel Peace Prize-winning anti-nuclear group International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)

 

 

 

 

Union Busting? Sabah union alleges harassment by local mill(FMT)

Employers cannot force any worker to not join trade unions, leave trade unions or join any trade unions. Relevant authorities must speedily investigate these allegations and end any wrongdoings.

Sabah union alleges harassment by local mill

FMT Reporters

-

September 9, 2020 8:34 PM

The Sabah Timber Employees Union claims workers are being 

discouraged from joining them and are being forced to be part 

of the in-house union under the mill’s control.

PETALING JAYA: The Sabah Timber Employees Union (STIEU) has alleged that a Sabah-based timber mill has subjected its workers to arbitrary “wage theft”, union busting and harassment.

In a statement today, the union said that it had filed reports with the Labour Department, police, pursued legal action via the Industrial Court and complained to the Department of Trade Union Affairs.

STIEU general secretary Engrit Liaw claimed that the timber mill had slashed workers’ wages by 50% in April without consulting them, leaving the workers – the majority of whom are migrants – in the lurch and threatening their ability to survive during the pandemic.

Liaw said this had also affected the workers’ ability to continue remitting money home, which in turn has risked the livelihoods of their families as many of them are the sole breadwinners.

She also claimed that the mill had registered an in-house union in early 2019 and prevented workers from registering their own union.

Engrit Liaw .

“This contravenes their rights to join, participate and organise trade unions as laid out in Section 9(c) of the Sabah Labour Ordinance.

“This hostile act has created factions between employees, with in-house union members going against members of STIEU and displaying xenophobic and violent behaviour.

“This has resulted in an oppressive work and living environment for employees,” Liaw said.

In another specific incident, one of the timber mill’s directors allegedly approached a work-site chairman and told him his strong leadership skills would make him an ideal candidate for the in-house union.

When the worker declined the offer, he was demoted to a security role, thereby exempting him from union coverage and protection.

Other STIEU members are said to have been harassed and pressured into joining the in-house union that is fully under the control of the mill, with workers describing how the company has blacklisted workers for wanting to join STIEU and threatened those whose work visas are close to expiry with repatriation.

Stating that workers have been the target of threats of retrenchment by members of the in-house union, Liaw said this had left migrant employees in an extremely vulnerable and helpless condition.

She said workers should have their basic employment rights upheld.

“Any human rights abuse must be exposed and the parties involved, including employers who are unable to adhere to basic labour laws, must be reprimanded.” - FMT, 9/9/2020

Detain the infected - and Malaysia cause the healthy to become infected with Covid-19? 128 infected in the Sabah Covid-19 lock-up cluster?

 

Media Statement – 8/9/2020

128 infected in the Sabah Covid-19 lock-up cluster following arrest and detention of infected – Lack of regulations, lock-up condition and overcrowding contributory factors.

Foreigners who became undocumented because of the pandemic should not be arrested, or treated as illegal migrants

MADPET(Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture) reiterates our call for lock-up and prison reforms, in the light of recent report  when Malaysia recorded a massive jump in new Covid-19 cases on 7/9/2020, with 62 cases, of which 50 were from the new Benteng Lahad Datu Covid-19 cluster in Sabah, which emerged  due to condition of lockups that allowed infections to spread rapidly, the Health Ministry said today. (Malay Mail, 7/9/2020)

Today (8/9/2020), there were 100 new Covid cases, and 62 of these cases originated from the Benteng Lahad Datu cluster in Sabah(Malay Mail, 8/9/2020). This brings the total infected in the Benteng Lahad Datu Covid-19 cluster to 128.

“Based on the risk analysis performed, the transmission of Covid-19 for this cluster was due to the cramped and crowded lockup quarters. It was found that physical distancing was also hard to implement. This is the main factor contributing to Covid-19 infections among inmates,” Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement (Malay Mail, 7/9/2020)

A total of 66 positive cases from the cluster registered thus far, Dr Noor Hisham said 64 of them involved inmates while two more involved a prison guard and his nephew.

It all started with the arrest of infected persons who were then detained with other Covid-19 free detainees. The source of this Sabah cluster was traced back to the arrests of two undocumented migrants who were then held in police custody at the Lahad Datu police headquarters on August 24.

MADPET and others, have previously highlighted this risk, where it was suggested that alleged Movement Control Order(MCO) violators and others suspected of small crimes should not be arrested, and thereafter detained with others especially during this pandemic – the risk of Covid-19 infection is simply too high.

It is sad that this is happening almost 5 months after the beginning of the Covid pandemic, and Malaysia has failed to learn from past experiences, especially after from the past cases of infections in Malaysia’s Immigration Detention Depots, where to date there have been infections at the Bukit Jalil Detention Depot (650 infections and 1 death), Sepang(72 infections), Semenyih(65), Semenyih 2(1) and Putrajaya(2).

The introduction of possibly infected persons to an otherwise Covid-free community in detention facilities must end. Testing and mandatory 14-day quarantine is a must. Temporary detention in already gazetted quarantine centres is an option.

MADPET urges that new regulations be put in place in all detention facilities, including police lock-ups, which would include the non-introduction of new detainees to detainee population until they have first been tested and/or quarantined, to ensure social distancing whereby there must be no overcrowding.

Persons who do not have to be remanded to enable authorities to complete investigations should not be.

Malaysians already know that remand of suspects is really not necessary for the purposes of investigation, as was demonstrated in many cases involving prominent persons including the case of former Prime Minister, who has now been convicted of 7 crimes of abuse of power, corruption and money laundering.

Remand should never be used as a form of ‘punishment’ by authorities, and one must never forget the only purpose of remand is for the purpose of investigation only.

After arrest, suspects can always be released on police bail, their passports could be seized to counter flight risk, and there could be other conditions placed, like turning up at the station for investigation at a particular day and time. There is no need to place them in remand.

The need for general improvement of Malaysia’s already overcrowded detention facilities to meet with international standards must be a government priority.

Malaysian Prisons Department Deputy Director-general (Security and Correctional) Datuk Alzafry Mohamed Alnassif Mohamed Adahan, was recently reported saying that there are currently ‘68,000 prison inmates are currently housed in 42 prisons nationwide…’ and that this ‘…number exceeded the prescribed capacity of 52,000…“ (Sun Daily, 8/8/2020).

About 25% of them are remand pre-trial prisoners, and the problem for many maybe poverty and thus inability to afford to pay the bail amount. The government should really release a majority of these pre-conviction prisoners on reduced bail or even personal bond, especially when they are being charged and tried for not so serious crimes that did not cause injury or death.

Migrants who became undocumented after the MCO began 

Certain categories of undocumented migrants should never have even be arrested and detained. This could include:-

-       Those whose permits and/or social visit passes expired, and could not return to their home countries because of travel restrictions;

-       Those whose permits/visas could not be renewed because even Immigration Departments were closed during the start of the MCO;

-      Those whose permits could not renewed or extended because of loss of jobs as their employer’s business were affected by the pandemic; and

-    Those who were documented migrant workers, who had an employment agreement for 3-5 years, who now cannot renew their permits because of a sudden change in Malaysian government’s policy restricting the sectors allowed to employ migrant workers

Many foreigners have no choice but to remain in Malaysia since there is still major restrictions of travel out of Malaysia back to their country of origin. There could be other reasons, including the failure of employers to yet provide for their flight tickets back home. Many have simply become too poor by reason of loss of jobs and/or income to now even afford to go back. Malaysia provided financial assistance to Malaysians, but not to migrants – including documented migrants.

Malaysia may want to provide for an amnesty to all these categories of foreigners and migrant workers, which will include no arrests and detentions until the end of movement control orders, and the restoration of international air travel.

We want Malaysian migrants in other countries to be cared for by those countries they are in, and as such Malaysia, must set an example by being a caring government, and should also look into providing assistance to foreigners to help them survive in Malaysia during this pandemic until they are able to return home.

 

Charles Hector

For and on behalf of MADPET(Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture)

 

 

Dr Noor Hisham: Crowded lockup to blame for rapid spread of Benteng Lahad Datu cluster

Monday, 07 Sep 2020 05:47 PM MYT

BY KENNETH TEE

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the source of the cluster was traced back to the arrests of two undocumented migrants who were then held in police custody at the Lahad Datu police headquarters on August 24. — Picture by Choo Choy May

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — The new Benteng Lahad Datu Covid-19 cluster in Sabah emerged due to the cramped and crowded condition of lockups that allowed infections to spread rapidly, the Health Ministry said today.

Earlier today, Malaysia recorded a massive jump in new Covid-19 cases today, with 62 cases, of which 50 were from the aforementioned cluster that first emerged on September 1.  

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the source of the cluster was traced back to the arrests of two undocumented migrants who were then held in police custody at the Lahad Datu police headquarters on August 24.

Both inmates tested positive for Covid-19 on August 31 and were admitted to Lahad Datu Hospital for treatment.

“Based on the risk analysis performed, the transmission of Covid-19 for this cluster was due to the cramped and crowded lockup quarters.

“It was found that physical distancing was also hard to implement. This is the main factor contributing to Covid-19 infections among inmates,” he said in a statement here.

Dr Noor Hisham reiterated the importance of complying with the standard operation procedures, adding that they must be practised at all times regardless of place.

With a total of 66 positive cases from the cluster registered thus far, Dr Noor Hisham said 64 of them involved inmates while two more involved a prison guard and his nephew.

After the first index case was reported, Dr Noor Hisham said 1,404 people have been screened through the ministry’s active case detection and close contact screening measures.

“A total of 631 inmates, 98 prison staff, 157 family members, 78 police officers and 440 government agency officers have been screened with a positivity rate of 4.7 per cent,” he said.

The cluster involved two districts of Lahad Datu and Tawau in Sabah, of which 30 Malaysians and 36 non-Malaysians have so far tested positive.

In Lahad Datu, 420 people have been screened with 337 testing negative and 33 awaiting their results.

In Tawau, 984 people have been screened with 230 testing negative and 738 awaiting their results.- Malay Mail, 7/9/2020

Health Ministry: Malaysia records another Covid-19 spike today, with 100 new cases

Tuesday, 08 Sep 2020 05:33 PM MYT

BY JERRY CHOONG

People wearing face masks are pictured outside Pavilion Kuala Lumpur February 10, 2020. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — Malaysia recorded another massive jump in new Covid-19 cases today, the Health Ministry has announced.

Of the 100 new cases registered today, 85 were local transmissions with the remaining 15 imported.

According to the ministry, 62 of these cases originated from the Benteng Lahad Datu cluster in Sabah which first emerged on September 1.

The remaining 23 came from the Sungai cluster in Kedah that was confirmed yesterday.

Today’s figure is the highest since the recovery movement control order (RMCO) came into effect on June 10.

Previously, the highest number of daily reported cases during this period was 62 as was registered yesterday.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the 100 new cases today brought the cumulative infections in Malaysia to 9,559.

“Of this number, 295 are currently active and have been isolated and are undergoing treatment,” he said during his bi-weekly press conference.

The 15 import cases include six from India, two from Indonesia, and one each from Pakistan and the Philippines.

“Meanwhile 12 cases were reported to have recovered from Covid-19 today, bringing the total number of recoveries in Malaysia to 9,136 cases or 95.6 per cent of all total cases.

“Presently seven positive cases are being treated in intensive care units, with four requiring breathing assistance. There have been no deaths reported today, leaving the total number of deaths at 128 cases or 1.34 per cent of all total cases,” Dr Noor Hisham said.

The latest ministry statistics showed that 431 people have been screened in Lahad Datu with 87 testing positive, while in Sungai 470 have been screened in Kedah with 25 testing positive, five in Penang with no positives, and four in Perlis with one positive.

Due to the increase in infections, the director-general said the government took steps to tighten border control in relation to high-risk countries since yesterday.

“The Immigration Department has tightened the entry of citizens from 23 countries into Malaysia. Their entry will depend on the Long-Term Visit Pass, and is applicable to citizens from countries which have recorded a cumulative excess of 150,000 Covid-19 cases or more.

“This is one of the steps taken to secure border control. The ministry will continue the risk-assessment of countries worldwide, with the latest list of countries facing restrictions to be updated and announced by the government from time to time,” he said.

From July 24 to yesterday, approximately 29,330 individuals arriving to Malaysia were placed at quarantining stations.

Of this number, 237 have since tested positive for Covid-19, with the bulk from India at 42 cases, followed by the Philippines at 27 cases, and Indonesia at 26 cases. _Malay Mail, 8/9/2020