This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on March 20, 2020

KUALA LUMPUR: Two days after Sime Darby Bhd said its chairman has been tested positive for Covid-19, its group chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Jeffri Salim Davidson is found to have also contracted the virus.

In a statement yesterday, Sime Darby said Jeffri is currently being treated under quarantine, and has not visited any of the group’s premises in the past 16 days.

“Any known employees who have been in contact with the group CEO over this period have been placed on self-quarantine and are undergoing the requisite medical examinations.

“Sime Darby is working with the relevant authorities to ensure the health and safety of its employees, including undertaking contact tracing to determine those who have been in contact with the group CEO,” the group said.

In the meantime, its chief financial officer Mustamir Mohamad has assumed the group CEO’s responsibilities during Jeffri’s absence.

On Tuesday, Sime Darby announced that its chairman Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad had contracted the virus.

Meanwhile, Mimos Bhd said one of its employees at its Technology Park Malaysia office in Bukit Jalil has tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday and is now receiving medical attention at Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

In a statement, the national applied research and development centre said all entry to Mimos is prohibited until March 31.

“The affected employee, a 28-year-old engineer, had gone to seek treatment after developing symptoms, and was subsequently diagnosed as positive [for] Covid-19,” it said.

Separately, DRB-Hicom Bhd said an employee of its subsidiary, DRB-Hicom Auto Solutions Sdn Bhd in Pekan, Pahang has been tested positive for Covid-19.

“The staff contracted the virus from her husband, who was in the contact circle of his superior at work. This superior had attended the tabligh event in late February in Seri Petaling,” it said in a statement.

In turn, DRB-Hicom said the son of the said staff has also been tested positive.