Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Banking Employees Union (SBEU) urged the Government, especially relevant ministries, to allocate sufficient Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) to banking staff who are working in the frontline and are vulnerable to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Its President Margaret Chin Sat Peng made this call following an order to close one of the banks in Tawau on Friday after it was visited by a Covid-19 positive customer on Thursday.
She said all the staff had to undergo tests for Covid-19 and a few of them, who had direct contact with the said customer, were requested to go for self-quarantine for 14 days at home.
She said banks fall under essential services and are open to serve the public as usual during the two-week Movement Control Order (MCO) from March 18 to 31.
“We understand that there is a shortage of PPEs in the market. We were informed by many of our members that they either do not have face masks, gloves and hand sanitisers or no sufficient PPE stock for them to carry on with their daily duties.
“Furthermore, not all the banks have thermometers to check the body temperature of the staff and customers before they enter the bank premises.
“Social distancing was also not observed as there was no effort to control the number of customers entering the bank,” said Chin, who is also Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) Sabah Branch Vice-Chairperson, in a statement.
Chin said recently the World Health Organisation (WHO) advised people to use contactless technology instead of cash as banknotes may spread the coronavirus.
The infectious Covid-19 could be carried on the surface of banknotes for several days, the WHO has warned.
According to the WHO spokesman, to stop the spread of the disease, people should use contactless payments where possible and wash their hands after handling cash.
Even the Bank of England, she said, recognised that banknotes “can carry bacteria or viruses” and encouraged frequent hand washing.
Chin also pointed out that Sabah currently has one of the highest numbers of Covid-19 cases which require vigilance and more effective measures.
“This is more pressing as we have a large migrant population here and we must not put the whole communities at risk,” she said.
She also disclosed that SBEU has requested the Sabah Commercial Banks Association to allow their staff to work on shifts and shorten the business hours.
“We appeal to the public to co-operate and only visit the banks when there is a real urgent need to do so,” Chin said.
