Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said stricter procedures were required to be implemented following the increase in Covid-19 cases involving several factories in Penang.

“This is based on the letter from the state health department to both the local authorities (in Penang). In fact, factory managements are also urged not to allow officers and employees who have fever or other symptoms to come to work, and ensure that they seek treatment to keep the workplace safe,” he said in a statement today.

Chow said the Penang Island City Council and the Seberang Perai City Council were also asked to continue monitoring activities and take stern action against companies and factories that did not comply with the set SOPs.

“To all the people of Penang, each one of us is a frontliner. The Covid-19 pandemic is present in our community, therefore, continue to take care of yourself, comply with the SOPs and never spread information obtained from unauthentic sources,” he said.

Earlier today, health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah said 65 of the 158 active Covid-19 clusters were related to the workplace.

He expressed the ministry’s thanks to employers who took action by carrying out screening of their workers. “This measure has managed to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the community and has helped protect high-risk individuals, senior citizens and children from being infected,” he said at his daily media briefing.

He urged workers to always comply with the procedures and practise good personal hygiene. “Employers and workers must ensure that workplace and common areas, such as toilets, kitchens and pantries, are always clean and safe in order to break the chain of infection,” he said.

“Employers are also reminded to ensure that their workers follow procedures including at their dorms because those living in crowded and confined hostel spaces have a higher risk of being infected,” he said.

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