By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, May 4: Some companies in Bintulu are violating Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) by going as far as asking their workers not to check-in via the MySejahtera app and not to wear uniforms at their workplace in an attempt to undermine the authorities.
Bintulu MP Dato Seri Tiong King Sing said these companies’ underhanded methods were busted in several raids conducted following the implementation of new SOPs for workplaces recently.
He explained that some have refused to comply with the SOPs developed by the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), defending themselves with some manner of loophole, simply ignoring the orders, and even openly challenging the legality of the SOPs.
“Besides adopting a flippant attitude towards the SOPs, these companies have also tried to exploit loopholes such as instructing their employees not to scan MySejahtera QR codes when they go to work and not to wear uniforms to escape the notice of enforcement personnel when questioned about whether they are staff or not.
“Their employees continue to turn up to their workplaces but in the end, they still got caught for breaking the SOPs and suffered the consequences,” he said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (May 4).
He added that several companies are also known for quickly sending their workers home once they hear of a raid being launched to avoid being caught violating the 70 per cent of work-from-home (WFH) order.
“However, their workers are still caught in the raids by enforcement officers when attempting to escape their workplaces,” he added.
Tiong pointed out that not only are there companies that failed to comply with the 70 per cent WFH order, but many have also not displayed their MySejahtera QR codes properly nor provided hand sanitisers for their employees to scan and use. This has led to fines ranging from RM1,500 to more than RM10,000.
He further urged all businesses and companies including factory owners to comply with Bintulu’s SOPs in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19.
“If you insist on breaking them, you must bear the consequences and not blame others if the cases rise,” he emphasised. — DayakDaily
