Covid-19: No credible report, research indicating Malaysians will lose jobs

0

Lau speaking to reporters after an event in Kuching in December last year. – File photo

KUALA LUMPUR: There is no credible report or research indicating that some 100,000 Malaysians will lose their jobs if the Covid-19 situation continues until the end of the year.

National Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman Alice Lau Kiong Yieng said there was no issue of job loss as Malaysia was prepared and able to manage and control the spread of the Covid-19 infection.

“There is no issue about losing their jobs. Employers need to take initiative to provide employees with accurate information about Covid-19 so that they do not panic.

“The Asia Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organization (APOSHO) annual conference also plays a role where it will discuss current issues among participants,” she said after the soft launch of the APOSHO35 Conference here today.

She was commenting on reports citing the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) as predicting that the Covid-19 would spiral out of control.

Echoing Lau,  Human Resources Ministry deputy secretary-general Maniam Arumugam said that the statement was just predictions not backed up by any statistics.

“So far nobody reported (any job loss) to us. What you heard was not true,” he said.

Meanwhile, in her speech earlier, Lau said APOSHO could play a role in addressing Covid-19 by strengthening and utilising existing networks and collaborations to help governments cope with this new situation.

Among others, Lau suggested APOSHO to work with the World Health Organization (WHO) and United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in providing latest information relating to workers’ protection.

“APOSHO members and health experts should help form an interim guideline to prevent new infections such as Covid-19. These guidelines should cover all types of occupations as well as plans for the transmission of more serious diseases,” she added.

The APOSHO35 conference will be held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 9-12 Aug this year.

Themed ‘OSH Unity and Sustainability’, APOSHO35 offers an excellent platform for professionals, policy makers and government officials to exchanges ideas, share experiences and initiatives in strengthening cooperation at the national, regional and global level. – Bernama