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CIDB urges contractors to send their foreign workers for free COVID-19 screening

The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) urged all contractors in Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory and Putrajaya, and Selangor to send their foreign workers to get free COVID-19 tests by the Social Security Organisation (Socso).

All foreign workers in those areas are subject to COVID-19 tests during the Recovery Movement Control Order. Foreign workers who have applied for a COVID-19 test or waiting for their result can continue their work, provided that they meet the standard operating procedure set by the Malaysia National Security Council.

On 27 April 2020, Socso has launched the Prihatin Screening Programme (PSP), which offers COVID-19 tests for free to contributors. Currently, the programme is only for foreign workers in the construction sector and security service sector in Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory and Putrajaya, and Selangor.

The programme can conduct up to 15,000 tests a day and the results can be obtained in three days. Based on Socso’s data, only 31,301 foreign workers across sectors have taken the test to date, with 40.8 per cent coming from the construction industry.

Starting on 1 June 2020, the screening can be done at any clinics/hospitals that have been approved by the Ministry of Health. Employers in the construction and security control services sectors in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Selangor who contribute to Socso can claim a subsidy of RM150 per test from the organisation.

Those who have not yet made contributions to Socso can access the test via registration.

– Construction+ Online

Source: Construction Industry Development Board