Allegations of Melaka factory workers with pink wristbands allowed to work not true - Exco

MELAKA: Allegations that employees of a semiconductor factory in Batu Berendam here were allowed to work despite wearing COVID-19 pink wristbands are not true, said state Health and Anti-Drug Committee chairman Datuk Rahmad Mariman.

He said only those who were free from COVID-19 were allowed to come to work, with the number of factory workers reduced to 40 per cent from the total of 9,000 workers.

"Overall, only 1,500 employees are allowed to work in three shifts daily, involving nine blocks in the factory, which operates 24 hours.

"The state government, through the Health Department, is closely monitoring the factory as it had triggered a workplace cluster, and it was the third one to occur in the area," he told reporters after visiting the factory here yesterday.

Rahmad said the factory workers were required to undergo Rapid Test Kit Antigen (RTK-Ag) tests daily before being allowed to go in to work, adding that a second Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) screening test would be carried out on Thursday (June 10).

He said the costs of the screening tests would be fully borne by the factory's management in efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Rahmad said that in the latest case involving the factory, 25 close contacts from the overall total 1,400 individuals from blocks 7,8 and 9 of the factory tested positive for COVID-19 during targeted screening last Friday.

"The factory was allowed to operate after the Melaka Tengah district health officials conducted a risk assessment. The premises also had to strictly adhere to the stipulated conditions, including disinfecting the factory and reducing the number of workers.

"We will not hesitate to close the factory immediately if the number of cases increase by five per cent of the total number of workers allowed," he said.

Yesterday, allegations went viral on social media claiming that the Health Ministry had permitted the factory workers involved, especially from blocks 7, 8 and 9 with pink wristbands to continue working, with a maximum of 40 per cent of the employees allowed to work.

Previously, the German-based company was instructed to close immediately after 398 employees and family members tested positive for COVID-19 and it was declared as the Batu Berendam Industry cluster.

-- BERNAMA