KUCHING: The federal government is working on a mechanism to ensure that all foreign workers including the illegal ones would be vaccinated, said Senior Minister of Works, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
“When we said everyone will be vaccinated, we are also referring to foreigners either they are registered lawfully or illegals,” he said when responding to a reporter’s query on whether the government has a mechanism to ensure foreign workers in the instruction industry would be vaccinated.
He reiterated that everyone would be vaccinated as long as they are in Malaysia.
Elaborating on vaccination of illegal workers, he said the government is working on ‘Program Pemutihan’ (Rehiring Programme) as well as collaborating with The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on this matter.
“We will make sure that there will be no legal action taken against the illegal workers because we have this Rehiring Programme.
“Therefore, this is the way for us to pull them out from hiding and subsequently ensure that they will be vaccinated,” he said.
He said this at a press conference after officiating the Malaysia Prihatin: Management of Covid-19 Pandemic programme held at Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Sarawak building here today.
Fadillah also mentioned that since there is a limitation in terms of numbers of vaccines, the foreign workers are still allowed to go to work at present with the condition that they must comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“Once the vaccine is available, everyone must come forward to take the vaccine.
“At the same time, only then can we review the possibility of prohibiting foreign workers from going to work if they have not yet receive the vaccine,” he said.
