All factories that are allowed to operate but fail to comply with the Ministry of Health (MOH) guidelines will face tougher actions including a shutdown.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah stressed that all factories must comply with standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure that there is no further spread of COVID-19 infection in the near future.

He said the ministry would monitor to ensure compliance with the guidelines.

"MOH will monitor from time to time to ensure that all factories comply with SOP requirements.

"We have the SOP, if they fail to comply, action will be taken to shut the plant temporarily to give them time to comply," he said in a daily press conference here on Thursday.

Earlier, it went viral on social media about the operation of a factory in Kulai, Johor that was alleged to have failed to comply with the SOP, including aspects of social distancing by its workers.