AN EXISTING committee under the National Security Council will monitor foreign workers as the country moves towards reopening more sectors, director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said.

This decision is based on the need for strict control to ensure Covid-19 does not spread further.

“Our main concern at the ministry is foreign workers. This committee will ensure they abide by the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health.

“If Malaysians and foreign workers can follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs), then we can break the chain (of infections),” he said at the ministry’s daily press conference on Covid-19 in Putrajaya today.

Noor Hisham said that to date 39,317 foreigners have been screened and 2,017 have tested positive for Covid-19.

Malaysia has been subject to the movement control order since March 18, and saw the easing of some restrictions and re-opening of most economic sectors on May 4 under a conditional movement control order (CMCO).

The CMCO is due to end on June 9.

He said that The Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 must be maintained when more sectors open.

“Now we are relying on the act for social distancing, border control and giving the police, army authority to carry out their duties.

“In terms of monitoring we still need to maintain the act as more sectors open.

“If all sectors are open and if we maintain double or single digits then we are ready for the exit strategy. This is what we called a soft landing.” – June 2, 2020.