MALAYSIA has been placed under a full-scale lockdown for two weeks from June 1 to June 14. The decision was made by the National Security Council in a special meeting.
The statement directed that all sectors are not allowed to operate during this first phase of lockdown except for essential economic and service sectors. This has significantly impacted the aged care sector as it is indisputably an essential service sector. There appears to be an oversight of this that has led to an industrial operational turmoil amongst operators.
Due to the sudden changes of implementation at the eleventh hour of this directive, the industry has found itself in a quagmire of horrendous inaccessibility of travel permits for staff and uncertainties with work-related travel permits.
A case in point is the short notice of change from being able to acquire permits from local ministries to approval of permits on May 30, only to be available from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) on May 31, effectively within 24 hours.
To further complicate matters, the challenges of overcoming the bureaucracy of the system and its requirements as well as the Miti system crashing, being overwhelmed by the enormous demand generated, further compounded anxieties.
This has left the entire aged care sector in limbo, confused and angry through no fault of theirs but the incapability of the system to cope and accommodate the requirements of travel permits.
There also seems to be a lack of understanding by Miti that their insistence of only facilities that are licensed to operate will be eligible to apply.
They need to appreciate that there are many operators who are not in possession of a licence but has a permit to operate, while those whose licences are being processed are being caught in this dilemma.
The processing of licences take time. It is unfair for them to be penalised. In the scheme of things, it is ultimately the elderly residents of aged care facilities that are suffering and they may also be placed at higher risk of contracting the virus. If there is an outbreak in such facilities, it will be lamentable and disastrous.
As an industry-interested party, we implore the government to give utmost priority to this and have a clear roadmap for workers in this sector to travel to and from work without uncertainty or fear of being fined.
The effort will greatly complement the government’s strategy to flatten the Covid-19 curve. A simplified and direct process of application with clarity will go a long way towards achieving this.
Dr Cecilia Chan
Vice-President
Association for Residential Aged Care Operators of Malaysia
