IPOH: Employers have a right to require their employees to take the Covid-19 vaccine to prevent the spread of the virus in the workplace, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.
He said while there is no specific legislation on Covid-19 vaccinations yet, the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (AKKP) nevertheless states that employers have a right to make safety and health policies to ensure safety at the workplace.
"We still can apply Occupational Safety and Health Act and action still can be taken.
"When there is an individual who has yet to be vaccinated, we can consider the workplace as unsafe," he said.
The minister was responding to a claim by Malaysian Association for Occupational Safety and Health (MSOSH) president Dr Shawaludin Husin that employers have no right to force employees to take the Covid-19 vaccine.
Dr Shawaludin, in a recent statement, had said forcing employees to take vaccine is an inappropriate measure at this time because there is no legal provision mandating the taking of the Covid-19 vaccine against any individual.
In response, Saravanan said vaccination is one of the ways to ensure that the workplace is safe from becoming a Covid-19 cluster as workplaces are contributors to the majority of Covid-19 cases in the country.
"It doesn't matter if you are Malaysian or a foreigner, we need to get vaccinated. We need to work together to break the chain of infection.
"When there is a person in the office unvaccinated, we don't feel safe and as such, the Occupational Safety and Health Act still can be enforced.
"Although there is no provision authorising employers to require their staff to be vaccinated, the main basis of the employment sector is that employers are obliged to ensure the safety and health of themselves and others in the workplace," he said.
Saravanan was speaking to reporters after handing over aid to E. Philomena, 59, widow of the security guard S. Thava Sagayam at her home in Taman Buntong Ria here.
Thava Sayagam, who died on Friday, was last year captured on CCTV being assaulted while on duty at a homestay.