THE flexibilities given to the agricultural commodity sector during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) period may be revoked and terminated if the plantation owners, smallholders and manufacturers do not adhere to the conditions set.
The Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry (MPIC), in its list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the CMCO, said all agricommodity activities are allowed to operate starting today subject to the conditions and standard operating procedures issued by the authorities.
Subsectors that enjoy the relaxation are palm oil, rubber, timber, cocoa, pepper, kenaf and biodiesel.
Agricommodity processing plants must undertake preventive measures such as disease prevention and control, health screening, and health report on the premises and at the worker accommodation.
On the third measure, MPIC said high absenteeism of over 5% due to Covid-19 symptoms such as fever must be reported to the Health Department and anyone with a body temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius upwards or other symptoms must be referred to a nearby clinic or a panel clinic. Workers displaying the symptoms must not be allowed to enter the company’s premises.
“Employers must prepare a workplace protocol that includes disease control and prevention based on the standards set by the Health Ministry,” MPIC said.
The ministry also said employers must prepare thermal scanners and conduct daily screenings to detect Covid-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat or breathing problems. The screening should be done at the entrance of the factory or premises.
For further information, employers can call the ministry’s corporate communications unit at 03-8880 3321 or 03-8880 3325 between 8am and 5pm. — May 4, 2020, Bernama
