Firm probed for ferrying 135 workers with Covid-19 as lorry 'load'
A chicken factory in Kedah is being investigated for endangering public health after it ferried its Covid-19 positive workers at the back of a lorry, which was open to the air.
Photographs and videos of the incident had gone viral after the vehicle was captured near the Sungai Petani Utara toll booth with complaints that it was inhumane to ferry the workers like cattle.
Acting on the social media complaints, the police managed to intercept the...
A chicken factory in Kedah is being investigated for endangering public health after it ferried its Covid-19 positive workers at the back of a lorry, which was open to the air.
Photographs and videos of the incident went viral after the vehicle was halted near the Sungai Petani Utara toll booth following complaints that it was inhumane to ferry the workers like cattle.
Acting on the social media complaints, the police intercepted the lorry, which was ferrying the last 48 workers from the Kuala Muda District Health Department to their dormitory in Bedong, Kedah.
"Investigation showed the 48 on the lorry, who were Covid-19 positive, were wearing pink bracelets," Kuala Muda District police chief Adzli Abu Shah said in a statement.
The lorry had ferried the 135 workers in three trips to the Kuala Muda District Health Department to be given pink bracelets for their quarantine process.
Adzli said the lorry driver was fined under Section 23(2) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for misusing the lorry for other than its intended purpose.
He said an investigation paper has also been initiated against the employer under Section 269 of the Penal Code and Section 22(b) of Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988.
Section 269 of the Penal Code concerns negligent acts that are likely to spread infections of any disease that is dangerous to life.
It carries a punishment of up to six months imprisonment, or a fine or both.
Section 22(b) concerns the offence of disobeying any lawful order issued by an authorised officer in the control of infectious diseases.
Following the incident, Kedah Labour Department director Arzanil Bahadon said the department will investigate if the living condition of the migrant workers' dormitory meets the basic requirement as stipulated under the law.
He said the case will be probed under the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446).
"Given that the dormitory is now classified as an outbreak area, we must obtain the approval from the district health office before we can investigate," he was quoted as saying by the China Press.
He said the department will also investigate the case under Employment Act 1955, which protects employees from being exploited and ensure basic welfare to the workers.
Arzanil added that the lorry driver should not be fined for ferrying the workers back and forth to the health department and the dormitory.
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