KUCHING: Kuching Coffeeshop and Restaurant Owners Association committee member Kapitan Tan Yit Sheng has echoed the Malaysian Employers Federation’s (MEF) suggestion that private sector employers must make it mandatory for employees to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
He voiced his support that employees who opted to not get inoculated without any valid reason be terminated from their employment.
Getting vaccinated would bring down the number of people infected and reduce the severity of the infection, Tan added.
“There are stubborn (and selfish) employees (out there)…they don’t want the vaccine simply because of their lack of knowledge on its benefits or may have gotten the wrong information – that it will cause bad side effects,” he told New Sarawak Tribune on Friday (Oct 8).
“Some gave the excuse of having a phobia of needles but when it comes to indulging in extreme sports, for example, they have no qualms.
“This is really ridiculous and unacceptable.
“Sure they can work from home, but again, they can’t be doing this forever as they still need to go out and meet people.
“I think as long as you are not vaccinated, the risk is there.”
On the other hand, he said the situation was different and understandable for employees who cannot be vaccinated due to valid medical reasons.
“For instance, in a company, there are 30 staff, out of which two cannot be vaccinated due to their health conditions…they should be allowed to enter their workplace.
“We cannot discriminate them. They can still go to work. There is no harm done to those who have been vaccinated.
“But of course, these groups will be at a high risk because they are not vaccinated.”
On Oct 7, MEF president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman said there was an estimated two per cent of private sector employees who were against vaccination.
He advised private sector employers to come up with a mandatory requirement for employees to be vaccinated, and if employees failed to do so without a valid reason, disciplinary action should be taken, including job termination.
