Malaysia’s health ministry reported a record high of 1,884 Covid-19 cases yesterday. It is now a return to four digits for three days in a row.
The situation in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur is indeed scary if we look at the numbers in their totality. In fact, Selangor is easily singled out for its exponential increase in infections. Kuala Lumpur also has a high caseload.
And that’s because they have clusters with the highest number of cases. Including the Teratai (read, Top Glove) cluster with 1,067 cases, the Damanlela construction site cluster with 105 cases, and the new Bintang cluster – another construction site in Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur – with 75 cases.
Already, Top Glove's worker dormitories in Klang, Selangor and its surrounding areas have been put under the enforcement of Enhanced Movement Control Order for two weeks since November 17.
And yesterday, it was announced that a total of 28 Top Glove factories will cease operations in stages. My first reactions were: Why not immediately? Why in stages? And why did it take so long to make that clear-cut decision?
What is mind-boggling is that Covid-19 was detected much, much earlier. I have read that at least 16 Top Glove workers were tested positive for the virus at the start of the month. Actually, Malaysiakini in a November 08, 2020 report had highlighted that the rubber glove manufacturer had registered 76 cases, citing Selangor state government sources.
I reckon the Top Glove management has been in denial for some time and is being irresponsible. And the company as well as both state and federal authorities were slow to act. Regrettably, this is a case of too little, too late.
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