Grant for nursery operators will ensure SOP compliance

Association of Registered Childcare Providers Malaysia president Anisa Ahmad said the grant under the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) is deemed adequate to last until the end of the year specifically for sanitising and disinfecting works, which should be conducted at least twice a day.

“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, each childcare centre operator is subject to strict SOPs which include ensuring the cleanliness of their premises as well as surrounding areas for the sake of children’s health.

“Through government aid, operators can conduct cleaning works more frequently to maintain a higher level of hygiene at the premises in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she told Bernama.

Anisa said through the aid, operators could also breathe a sigh of relief as they after having been adversely affected by the enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO) and the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).

The one-off grant which was announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin last week will be given to registered childcare centre operators until December 31 to encourage them to implement the SOPs.

Private sector employee, Nurul Hanina Hassim, 38, described the initiative as the right move as it would restore parents’ confidence to send their children back to these centres.

“As a working mother, I have to send my child to the nursery. However, during the MCO and CMCO period, many of us would rather have them at home. When I had to be in the office, I would send my kids to my neighbour because of the small number of children that she has to mind,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) executive director, Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan said the RM1.5 billion employee recruitment incentive programme announced by the government would encourage employers to hire workers among persons with disabilities (PWD).

He said this effort shows that the government had never denied the PWD’s rights for employment especially during this adversity due to the COVID-19 outbreak which has affected many people from all walks of life.

“The COVID-19 outbreak has made it difficult for the PWD community to penetrate the job market and we are still not being able to fully achieve the policy of hiring one per cent disabled workers...only at 0.4 per cent in the government sector and a mere 0.1 per cent in the private sector,” he added.

Society of Orthopaedically Handicapped, Malaysia (POCAM) president Mahadi Ibrahim is hopeful that employers would work with the Welfare Department (JKM) and associations for the disabled to conduct job matches suitable for the applicants’ types of disability.

“JKM and associations can work together to develop a special platform for the disabled to apply for jobs and facilitate job matches for them especially in the service sector for it is the biggest sector and most suitable in developing their talents,” he said.

Commenting on the one-off RM300 financial aid for 300,000 PWD and single mothers under JKM, Mahadi said the payment which would be paid out before Hari Raya Aidiladha would definitely bring relief to them and ease their burdens.