THE Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) will allocate RM7 million to assist construction companies with Covid-19 testing of their foreign employees, said Works Minister Fadillah Yusof.

He acknowledges the challenges of testing all foreign workers and the financial constraints on some companies.

“Last week, CIDB agreed in a meeting that all foreign workers should be tested.

“Although some companies can claim from Socso (Social Security Organisation), they will have to pay upfront first before they can claim for reimbursement. So, some small companies can’t afford it. 

“That is why CIDB agreed to allocate RM7 million to help these companies so that they can expedite the testing of their registered foreign workers,” he told reporters today after attending a special address by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to mark the Perikatan Nasional government’s first anniversary.

Fadillah, who is also a senior minister, said he hopes that the assistance from CIDB would reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmissions at construction sites. 

In January, the Malaysian Bumiputera Contractors’ Association (PKBM) urged CIDB to provide a subsidy for Covid-19 tests involving construction workers. 

A number of active Covid-19 clusters involve construction sites. – March 1, 2021.