KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 — The Human Resources Ministry has advised East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) employers to give a leave of absence to Chinese national staff who are currently in China until the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is contained.
ECRL employees who returned to China over the festive period have been advised to delay their trip back to Malaysia.
“Meanwhile, employers are advised to pay salaries to staff who are affected by the leave of absence.
“This is in line with the government’s efforts to ensure employees’ safety and health in the midst of environmental risks, similar to the haze problem which occurred several months ago,” the ministry said in a statement today.
The ministry added that in view of the absence of provisions relating to paid leave or relief from duty in the situation of an environmental risk, the labour department (JTK) is looking at introducing new provisions under the current employment law, through amendments to the Employment Act 1955.
The ministry said this is to ensure workers’ rights to work in a healthy and safe condition are guaranteed.
As for Malaysian employees who have returned from China, the ministry has advised employers to abide by decisions made by the government to allow the necessary screening of employees who may be suspected of the virus.
As reported earlier today, Malaysia confirmed a new 2019-nCoV infection, bringing the country’s total to eight.
According to the health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, the latest incident involved an individual who was in close contact with the seventh confirmed patient.
Dr Noor Hisham added that the eighth case is a Chinese national aged 49 who was admitted to the isolation ward at Hospital Permai in Johor and is reportedly in a stable condition.
