THERE is no credible report or research indicating that some 100,000 Malaysians will lose their jobs if the Covid-19 situation continues until the end of the year.

National Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) chairman Alice Lau said there is no issue of job loss as Malaysia is able to manage and control the spread of the virus.

“There is no issue about losing their jobs. Employers need to take initiative to provide employees with accurate information about Covid-19 so that they do not panic.

“The Asia Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organisation (Aposho) annual conference also plays a role, where it will discuss current issues among participants,” she said after the soft launch of the Aposho35 Conference today.

She was commenting on reports citing the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) as predicting that the Covid-19 would spiral out of control.

Echoing Lau, Human Resources Ministry deputy secretary-general Maniam Arumugam said MEF’s statement is just speculation not backed up by any statistics.

“So far, nobody reported (any job loss) to us. What you heard was not true,” he said.

Meanwhile, in her speech earlier, Lau said Aposho can help governments cope with the virus outbreak.

Among others, Lau suggested for Aposho to work with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in providing the latest information relating to workers’ protection.

“Aposho members and health experts should help form an interim guideline to prevent new infections such as Covid-19. These guidelines should cover all types of occupations as well as plans for the transmission of more serious diseases,” she added.

The Aposho35 conference will be held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from August 9-12 this year.

Themed “OSH Unity and Sustainability”, Aposho35 offers an excellent platform for professionals, policy makers and government officials to exchange ideas, share experiences and initiatives in strengthening cooperation at the national, regional and global level. – Bernama, February 20, 2020.