GEORGE TOWN: Most manufacturing plants in Penang are well prepared for the second the movement control order (MCO) which came into force yesterday, the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) said.
FMM branch chairman Datuk Jimmy Ong said since Penang was under the conditional MCO, most factories had strictly observed the standard operating procedures (SOP) imposed, with the guidelines provided by the Health Ministry and International Trade and Industry Ministry.
“Based on five sectors that have been allowed to operate (during the second MCO), we believe the permission covers substantially all manufacturing companies except for non-personal protective equipment textile, footwear, ceramic and stationery,” he told Bernama yesterday.
However, he hoped the federal government would look into several issues facing the manufacturing industry.
Ong said applications from some small and medium enterprise supply chains to operate during the MCO period had been rejected.
He urged the authorities or the Trade and Industry Ministry to approve them to enable the companies to carry on their businesses.
The federal government should provide clearer and more comprehensive SOP guidelines to ensure factories maintain their productivity levels while ensuring the safety of employees, he added.
Meanwhile, Ong believes the federal government should subsidise the cost of Covid-19 screening tests for all workers in order to identify and isolate positive cases as soon as possible.
