KUCHING, March 18: Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) has urged the Sarawak government to toughen its containment and mitigation measures in the face of escalating Covid-19 situation around the world.
Party president Lina Soo however reminded that infection control is also the responsibility of each and every citizens and as such all must practice self-monitoring and self-isolation as well as stop contact with especially elderly and immune-compromised people.
“It is really really important not to spread the virus, not to travel and be disciplined with self-imposed social restrictions. Infection control is in our hands, and we must consider beyond any extrapolation who we can infect,” she urged in a statement today.
Soo noted that World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Covid-19 as pandemic when a new disease for which people do not have immunity spreads around the world beyond expectations.
World health experts, she added, agreed that this was the fastest-moving outbreak ever seen with more than 200,000 infected and almost 8,000 dead around the world; and Malaysia has 763 infected with two dead, including one in Sarawak.
Yet Soo said she read with great alarm of some Sarawakians attending high-risk gatherings and those too stubborn to report and go for check-up, despite receiving news that these gatherings were clusters.
“Covid-19 kills, but stubbornness and recalcitrance in the face of a pandemic will kill many more. Unnecessarily,” she cautioned.
As a priority and immediate measure, she pointed out that funding to the Health Ministry must be increased and accelerated instead of being reduced as seen during the last two years.
“Even though Covid-19 does not choose victims based on population, nationality, culture or ethnicity, Sarawak has one natural advantage being on an island, so our natural boundary of international waters separating us from mainland Asia and the rest of the southern hemisphere below Borneo can be our saving grace,” she said.
Soo however stressed that the Sarawak government must strictly use its immigration powers to insulate the state’s borders and stave off further Covid-19 spread.
“Sarawak government must not to allow non-Sarawakians and non-residents to come in from Peninsula Malaysia or Sabah, even though they may be Malaysians.
“All those returning to Sarawak must undergo health check again upon entry into Sarawak and go under self-quarantine for 21 days.
“Whilst we are treating our few cases in Sarawak, our borders with Brunei, Sabah and Kalimantan must remain closed to anyone who is non-resident in Sarawak,” she said.
She also reminded that it was the civic and moral duty of every Sarawakian to play their part to stay put, avoid crowds, and see to it that family members do the same.
“Don’t play dice and gamble with Sarawakian lives,” cautioned Soo.— DayakDaily
