Companies flouting SOP to be ordered closed immediately - Azmin

KUALA LUMPUR: Companies that fail to comply with stipulated standard operating procedure (SOP) throughout the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) will face immediate revocation of their operating permits as well as legal action, said Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

He said his ministry had issued a letter regarding the SOP compliance order to 171 associations and chambers of business on Nov 26.

“The letter is to prove that the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) takes a serious view of SOP compliance following the recent increase in new COVID-19 cases,” he said.

Mohamed Azmin said this after having lunch with Pertubuhan Pewaris Anak-anak Melayu Gombak and Penggerak Komuniti Tempatan Gombak here today.

In detailing the content of the letter, he said that if companies are found to have flouted the SOP and do not cooperate with the Ministry of Health (MOH), the government would take action to shut down the premises and factories under Section 18 (1)(d) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).

“The question now is the SOP compliance as well as the employers’ responsibility to bear the cost of the COVID-19 screening in a bid to break the chain of infection,” he said, adding that industry players had a role to play towards curbing the spread of COVID-19.

“Don’t put the burden solely on the government. Industries rake in huge profits, so they too must contribute towards efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 among the workforce, especially foreign workers,” he said.

Earlier, he presented contributions to 25 recipients comprising students from the B40 group and the Orang Asli community, school cooperatives as well as small enterprise operators.

-- BERNAMA