MEF: Make SOP work in offices

PETALING JAYA: Complying with the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP) should be the mode of thinking of all employers, says the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF).

Its executive director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan said employers should ensure there is ample workspace in their offices to allow proper physical distancing between employees.

“Employers must ensure that the workplace is not overcrowded.

“There are some companies which are now asking employees to work from home and come into the office onalternatedays,” addedSamsuddin.

Employers should also make it compulsory for employees to disclose if any of their family members are under Covid-19 quarantine, he added.

“If a family member of an employee has been quarantined, then the person should inform the company to allow the employer to take early preventive measures,” he said.

He said most employers had learned from the previous movement control order (MCO) that a company would have to go through an expensive process if its employees are infected.

“This is because they will have to sanitise their entire workplace and get all employees swab tested for the virus,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sime Darby Property headquarters issued a notice to its staff to work from home pending further notice after an employee tested positive for the virus on Tuesday.

“As a preventive measure, employees based at the corporate headquarters will be working from home and the premises will remain closed until all safety and regulatory requirements are met,” Sime Darby Property said in a statement.

The company said it is carrying out detailed contact tracing to identify employees who have been in close contact with the affected individual.

In a separate case, Tropicana Golf and Country Resort (TGCR) confirmed that two of its employees had tested positive for the coronavirus while under quarantine after returning from Sabah on Sept 26.

However, TGCR noted that the two employees had not stepped into its premises since Sept 17, as they have been under home quarantine.

“The management of TGCR has taken note of the misinformation that is being circulated, rest assured that the two employees are not part of the caddy or F&B team,” it said in a notice to members and visitors.

As a precautionary measure, TGCR said it had carried out thorough sanitisation of its premises.

Employers must ensure that the workplace is not overcrowded.

Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan