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Uggah makes a point during the press conference. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING: All Malaysians entering Sarawak from Peninsular Malaysia will be required to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine starting tomorrow (October 10), Chief Deputy Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said.
He said they will also be asked to undergo a Covid-19 test on the second and tenth days of their quarantine.
“They would have to pay for the cost of the quarantine and the Covid-19 test themselves, while for the people of Sarawak, this will be borne by the government of Sarawak.
“We hope that everyone can understand us and bear with us. At the moment, this directive is until October 18 and in the next few days we will review the situation, “he said yesterday at a press conference here.
Uggah, who is chair of the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), said the police will also carry out strict monitoring of those who have been given the Household Surveillance Order (HSO) effective immediately.
Anyone who has violated this directive can be prosecuted under the Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control Act of 1988 (Law 342), he warned.
“Yesterday (Thursday), the police discovered that a man had violated his HSO and subsequently a composite advisory was issued to him.”
Uggah also said that those who find their home unsuitable for the HSO can request that their quarantine period be held at a designated quarantine center.
He hoped that people would understand the need for SDMC to come up with a stricter policy, saying it was to ensure that the safety and health of Sarawak people was taken care of.
He said that SDMC was monitoring the Covid-19 situation surrounding Sarawak, particularly in Sabah, Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
“As I said before, we are surrounded by the ‘ring of fire’, as well as long coastal and land borders.
“This is a very challenging topic and if you look at the cases that we report, the majority … almost 90 percent are imported cases, whether it’s Import A or B.
“That is why we have to make that decision today,” he said.
Dr. Chin addresses the press conference. – Photo by Chimon Upon
Meanwhile, Sarawak Health Department Director Dr. Chin Zin Hing said the decision to enforce mandatory quarantine for those entering Sarawak was so that the state can control its number of Covid-19 cases.
“For the cases that have been given HSO, we found that most of them will find it difficult not to mix with their family members.
“That is why we feel that it is better that they are placed in quarantine centers for 14 days, where we can evaluate them on the second and the tenth day,” he said.
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