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[Updated] Employees in Malaysia’s manufacturing sector are to pass a bi-weekly RTK before entering the workplace

[Updated] Employees in Malaysia’s manufacturing sector are to pass a bi-weekly RTK before entering the workplace

In further manufacturing sector developments, starting Wednesday (7 July), sectors such as electrical and electronics are allowed to operate in localities in Selangor.

- Updated with MITI's latest announcement on 18 August 2021 (Wednesday).

All employees categorised under the manufacturing sector are required to undergo a mandatory rapid antigen test (RTK) twice a week, according to Malaysia’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry’s (MITI) announcement on Thursday (8 July).

Only employees who test negative on RTK will be allowed into the workplace. As for the costs incurred for administering the tests, the ministry said that “the company is solely responsible for fully bearing the cost of such screening.”

This move came after MITI announced it is allowing more industries in Selangor to operate under the EMCO, starting Wednesday (7 July).

In the ministry’s media release, it said that after a cabinet meeting with Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, and the Minister of Finance as well as the Minister at the Prime Minister's Department (Economy), the following sectors are allowed to operate:

  • The electrical and electronics (E&E) sector and its supply chains;
  • The aerospace sector (maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO));
  • The machinery and equipment (M&E) sector for the production of healthcare and food products;
  • The food and beverage (F&B) manufacturing companies

MITI said that companies in these sectors can resume operations using the existing CIMS 3.0 approval letter dated June 2021, and thereafter. At the same time, companies must adhere to the approved workforce capacity rate of 60% at the workplace, and 40% at home.

“Any company found violating the SOPs will be subject to legal action including fines or closure of the premise for a certain period of time,” the ministry reminded.

Further to this, in MITI's latest update on 18 August 2021 (Wednesday), the Ministry said that all companies in manufacturing sector are compulsory to conduct Antigen RTK tests for workers even though workers have already received complete vaccinations.

Image / MITI’s Facebook

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