KUCHING: The Malaysia Security Industry Association (PIKM) Sarawak, representing some 10,000 security guards in the state, appealed to the Sarawak government to prioritise the vaccination of security guards immediately.
PIKM Sarawak committee member Shaharuddin Samsi pointed out that despite the worrying Covid-19 situation in Sarawak, security guards have continued to work — providing their services of safety and enforcement at government and private premises.
“Security guards are unsung heroes and frontliners who are the earliest to be exposed to Covid-19 transmission when performing their duties. This includes coordinating entry registrations and conducting temperatures screening of individuals at premises such as hospitals, quarantine stations, financial institutions (banks), supermarkets, and so on,” he said.
He said although PIKM had applied to the federal government for private security guards to be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccinations, security guards were not included in the list as frontliners to receive vaccinations during the initial phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
“They were also advised to register for their vaccination appointments through the MySejahtera application,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He said that following Article 16, First Schedule – Essential Services under the Industrial Relations Act 1967, the private security industry was listed as an essential service.
“Our officers need to be protected to ensure the safety of controlled premises can be maintained 24 hours, seven days a week,” he emphasised.
Shaharuddin said it had also been confirmed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) via a letter dated Jan 12 this year that this industry is an essential service that functions to ensure that controlled premises are safe. Also stated in the letter was that the workforce in the security industry is exempted during the movement control order (MCO) period and are required to work during the MCO period.
