KUCHING, March 22: Santubong MP Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has called for tighter security control at borders linking Sarawak and Indonesia to prevent cross-border movements.
He requested more police and armed forces personnel to patrol the Sarawak-Indonesia borders to ensure that Indonesians are not allowed to cross over into Sarawak.
The Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister said he has raised the issue at the special novel coronavirus (Covid-19) cabinet committee meeting chaired by Senior Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof yesterday.
“The Indonesians are known to intrude deep into Sarawak through the many ‘jalan tikus’ (illegal routes). This should not happen now. The situation in Indonesia is very uncertain.
“Many victims (of Covid-19) in Malaysia are found to have been from contact with individuals from Indonesia. So we have to close our Sarawak and Indonesia border,” claimed Wan Junaidi in a statement.
He added that a meeting of cabinet ministers with all the chief ministers and menteri besars last Friday, Sarawak chief minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg raised the issue of lockdown in Indonesia and requesting the army to close the Sarawak and Indonesian border.
This to ensure that borders along Sarawak and Indonesia remained close to the Indonesian as well, he continued,
He reminded that Sarawak has a long and porous 1,100km of border stretching across the West, Central and North Kalimatan regions.
On personal note, Wan Junaidi said he has also raised the security control for the 700km borders of Sabah and North Kalimantan.
He added that those who attended the recent religious gatherings in Indonesia must be contained when they return.
“The move is to ensure Malaysians coming from Indonesia, while they may be allowed to come back to Sarawak and Sabah, they must be checked and quarantined upon their return.” — DayakDaily
