Covid-19: Escaped foreign worker found at Kajang market

KAJANG: A foreign worker who was said to have disappeared after discovering he had been tested positive for Covid-19 during a screening carried out by the Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj), has been found.

The suspect, a worker at Pasar Awam Kajang, was spotted loitering outside the market building while Selangor environment, green technology, science, technology, innovation and consumer affairs committee chairman Hee Loy Sian was holding a press conference to update the media on the latest developments.

Spotted walking along Jalan Dato Ungku Shamsuddin on Thursday (May 21), the suspect quickly knelt down after police ordered him to halt in his tracks. He was later ordered to sit at a kerb beside the market building to wait for an ambulance.

Concerns over the missing foreigner's whereabouts went viral on social media, after the market was ordered to close by MPKj at 5pm Wednesday (May 20).

The decision came after three market traders had tested positive for Covid-19 by the Health Ministry.

The exercise to test market traders and workers at the Kajang market is a joint effort between MPKj and the Hulu Langat district health office.

Starting May 18, some 261 traders and workers were so far screened at Dewan Seri Cempaka MPKj Saujana Impian.

The results of 67 cases are still pending. From the latest update given by Hee, five market traders, two foreigners and three locals have tested positive.

"Sanitisation exercise will begin tonight itself. As for now, as there are less than 40 cases, we will not declare an enhanced movement control order (MCO) for the surrounding area yet," said Hee.

MPKj public relations officer Kamarul Izlan Sulaiman said the market was scheduled to reopen on May 27 but due to the present situation, the council will have to wait for the Health Ministry to give them the all-clear first.

When contacted, Persatuan Penjaja Pasar Kajang chairman Lee Kok Leong said he couldn't help but feel frustrated at the situation, as this would mean a loss of revenue for some 70 to 90 stalls at the market.

Lee added the disappointment was compounded by the fact that the association had disbursed funds to carry out disinfection exercises and hire Rela personnel to conduct temperature screenings and enforce social distancing among visitors daily to curb the spread of the disease.