MELAKA, Oct 31 — A comprehensive action plan to ensure the COVID-19 epidemic continues to stay under control although the pandemic carries on for a long time, is expected to be tabled to a sub-committee in the National Security Council (MKN), latest by next week.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the plan took into account suggestions from various sectors including economy, health and education.
“Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin considers this plan a matter that needs to be expedited.
‘’It is expected to be tabled in a sub-committee and brought to a meeting of the main committee before it is submitted at a MKN Special Session Committee Meeting.
“This plan, especially involving the proposals that we have decided in facing the COVID-19 pandemic in the long term, will then be presented to the people,” he said.
He said this when met by reporters at the Melaka Awards presentation ceremony in conjunction with the 71st birthday celebration of Yang Dipertua Negeri of Melaka Tun Mohd Ali Rustam to 294 recipients at Seri Negeri, here, today.
At the ceremony, Ismail Sabri and Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad each received the Darjah Gemilang Seri Melaka which carries the title of Datuk Seri.
Bernama today reported that the MKN was formulating a comprehensive action plan to ensure that the COVID-19 epidemic remains under control even though the pandemic continues for a long time.
MKN deputy director general of National Security (Security Management) Datuk Rodzi Md Saad was quoted as saying that the action plan would be based on an assessment of facts and experience of the actions taken by the government in controlling COVID-19 since January this year.
In another development, Ismail Sabri said the proposal to grant temporary work permits to illegal foreign workers in the country to overcome the shortage of workers in the oil palm and rubber industries would be brought to a Cabinet meeting in the near future.
“Based on a MKN Special Meeting prior to this, the priority to fill vacancies in the sectors is given to local workers and if they are not available, then only the vacancies will be offered to foreign workers who are already here and not new workers brought from outside,” he said.
Muhyiddin was previously reported as saying that the government was considering issuing temporary work permits to illegal foreign workers who were in the country to address the shortage of foreign workers in the oil palm and rubber industries, especially after the country’s border gates were closed in an effort to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
