Covid-19: Neglecting migrant workers may backfire, think-tank study shows

CORONAVIRUS | Going beyond human rights argument for the protection of migrant workers, the latest study by local think-tank Khazanah Research Institute (KRI) has suggested that there are also practical aspects to ensuring their welfare.

As the world wages war against Covid-19, KRI argued that failure to protect migrant workers would have an impact on public health and the economy, as already seen in neighbouring Singapore.

"Neglecting the basic healthcare needs of any human is a perfect incubator for a wider community spread.

"It risks straining the public healthcare system and lengthening lockdowns that hurt firms and workers," noted the three researchers - Tan Theng Theng, Nazihah Muhamad Noor and Jarud Romadan Khalidi - in the conclusion of their...