THE Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) today criticised senior minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s proposal that employers deduct the salary of their migrant workers to fund their Covid-19 screenings.

“It is both inhumane and inconsiderate. Foreign workers, especially those without permits, are already underpaid and can hardly make ends meet. Ismail’s proposal will inflict a further blow to their livelihood and once again, allow employers to shirk from their responsibility,” said MTUC secretary-general J. Solomon.

Ismail Sabri, who is also defence minister and National Security Council spokesman, said yesterday this should apply to foreign workers who don’t contribute to the Social Security Organisation (Socso).

Soco contributors can be covered for Covid-19 screenings, which unionists also object to as it eats into funds meant to protect them in case of employment injury.

The government now considers foreign workers as a high-risk group for Covid-19 infection after cases emerged among those working at the Selayang wholesale market, a construction site and guards at a retail outlet in Cheras.

MTUC said migrant workers are among the poorest in society who earn below the RM1,200 minimum wage.

Ismail Sabri’s proposal that employers deduct RM50 a month from their salaries is “persecution of the working class”, MTUC added.

It highlighted that Singapore is bearing the cost of migrants’ Covid-19 tests.

Ismail Sabri’s latest announcement on who funds Covid-19 testing for workers is a U-turn from earlier positions that employers are to bear such costs, MTUC said.

The cost of a test at a private healthcare facility is about RM500 per person. Government facilities are reserved for cases the authorities are tracing and investigating.

The requirement for all foreign workers to be tested comes as industries prepare to resume work, following the conditional movement control order (CMCO) on Monday to allow the reopening of most economic sectors.

The MCO, which began on March 18, is also due to expire next Tuesday. – May 8, 2020.