In a statement today, MEF president Syed Hussain Syed Husman said the federation supported human resources minister M Saravanan’s stance that employers had the right to insist that their workers be vaccinated against Covid-19.

However, Syed Hussain stressed that employers must also take cognisance of employees who refused the vaccine due to certified medical reasons that had been verified by approved authorities.

“Employers understand that there will be some who simply cannot be vaccinated. Therefore, such employees must accept alternative assignments, which will be a win-win for both parties,” he said.

“We also urge the government to provide special passports for employees who cannot be vaccinated on medical grounds to enable them to perform their jobs. Such people must not be discriminated against in any way.”

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Saravanan said workers who refuse to get vaccinated can face action under the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act 1994 for creating an unsafe work environment.

He said that while there was no legal provision which made Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory, the OSH Act, which relates to safety at the workplace, could still be enforced.

“We cannot take action if we see someone is not vaccinated. But we can take action because the place is not safe in terms of the environment,” he was quoted as saying in Bernama.