MELAKA, July 9 — Police are investigating a foreign worker recruitment agency based in Petaling Jaya, Selangor for suspicion of recruiting 79 foreign workers to work in a factory in Melaka without undergoing the mandatory Covid-19 screenings.

Melaka police chief Datuk Abdul Majid Mohd Ali said on July 1 at about 8.30am, police received a report regarding 51 foreign workers who tested positive for Covid-19 at the factory in the Ayer Keroh industrial area.

"Investigations revealed that all of them were brought into the state to work at the factory and they did not undergo Covid-19 screenings.

"The company’s management and foreign workers’ recruitment agent will be called in to assist in the investigation while 51 of the workers are currently being isolated at the Covid-19 Low-Risk Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC) at the Imperial Heritage Hotel,” he said in a statement here today.

Abdul Majid said the case was being investigated under Section 270 of the Penal Code for performing a malignant act likely to spread the infection of a dangerous disease and also under Regulation 13 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2021 (National Recovery Plan) 2021 which carries a jail term up to six months and a fine up to RM50,000 or both.

He said under Section 270 of the Penal Code offenders are punishable with a jail term of up to two years or a fine or both if convicted. — Bernama