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KUCHING (September 25): Sarawak has been placed on red alert in view of people returning to the state tomorrow after Sabah’s state elections.
Senior Deputy Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said this was because Sabah had been classified as a red zone due to an alarming number of new cases detected there in recent weeks.
“Just yesterday (Thursday), we sent about 500 state police to Sabah to reinforce their Sabahan counterparts. We also have high-level local politicians who go there to campaign and voters who came back to cast their votes and then returned to Sarawak, ”Uggah said.
He said this while officiating at a ceremony honoring 33 retirees and soon-to-be retiring officers from the statewide Department of Public Works (JKR) in Betong today.
“Looking at the trend, recent reports had indicated that those returning from Sabah had tested positive for Covid-19. This means that we cannot be satisfied that we are safe. As a result, we are now imposing a series of new requirements on those who return from Sabah to Sarawak, ”said Uggah.
Uggah, who is the chairman of the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), said such measures were necessary to form a protective shield around the state to guard against another possible Covid-19 outbreak, given that the state had not reported any new ones. cases during the last days. .
“We have to be on guard. Anyone leaving the state or abroad on official functions or for tourism purposes, we must quarantine them for 14 days at the designated hotel upon their return. “
“We are not only protecting you or your family, but society in general. We need to be firm as it is a very difficult time and situation for all of us, ”Uggah said.
On Thursday, the SDMC secretariat said in a statement that all Sarawak residents and Sarawak permanent residence and visa pass holders must apply for an entry permit through the enterSarawak app before traveling to enter the state. .
The committee said travelers will be quarantined at home for 14 days and given a bracelet and required to undergo reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rT-PCR) testing for Covid-19 upon return, enter a list of measures to monitor visitors. of Sabah.
Uggah said it was pertinent for the public to adhere to standard operating procedures introduced by authorities to keep the local Covid-19 situation under control.
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