Targeted flexible work, however, can be considered
The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has shot down calls to implement blanket remote work arrangements amid a spike in tuberculosis cases in the country, according to reports.
MEF president Datuk Syed Hussain Husman told the New Straits Times (NST) that any work-from-home implementations should be based on internal company risk assessments and advice from health authorities.
"MEF will continue to monitor developments related to TB and work with stakeholders, including the Health Ministry, to ensure workplaces remain safe, inclusive, and productive without compromising workers' health," the MEF president told the news outlet.
Employers, however, can consider targeted flexible work arrangements for employees undergoing tuberculosis screening or treatment.
"Evidence-based approaches are crucial to ensure a balance between protecting public health and sustaining business operations," he said as quoted by the NST.
Tuberculosis in Malaysia
The remarks came after Malaysia recorded a spike in tuberculosis cases, with 503 new cases detected in the fifth Epidemiological Week, raising the cumulative total to 2,571 cases.
Tuberculosis is a serious and contagious disease that mainly affects the lungs, according to the Mayo Clinic.
It can spread when a person with the illness coughs, sneezes, or sings, releasing tiny germ-filled droplets into the air that can be breathed in by another person.
Syed Hussain, however, noted that the nature of TB transmission is different from other respiratory diseases such as COVID-19.
According to the MEF president, employers can take preventive measures to curb the spread of the illness at work.
"These include improving indoor ventilation, encouraging symptomatic workers to seek early medical checks, promoting respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette, updating workplace health policies on early detection and referral procedures, and conducting awareness programmes on infectious diseases, particularly TB," he said as quoted by the NST.
