KUCHING, July 10: State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) advisor Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian is optimistic that Sarawak can enter Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP).
Dr Sim, who is also Minister of Local Government and Housing, said the month of July is the continuation of the vaccination programme roll out which he insisted would help to save the livelihood of the people, as well as the economy.
“For Sarawak, based on the rate that we are going, by July 22, about 50 per cent of the population will have gotten their second doses.
“In terms of the number of cases, for the previous week, including Saturday and Sunday, it shows that the figures are declining, and if the numbers continue to decline, Sarawak should be fulfilling the criteria to enter Phase 2 of the NRP,” he told reporters during his visit to the Covid-19 mobile outreach vaccination drive held at SJK Chung Hua in Mile 10, Jalan Padawan, today.
Dr Sim noted, although Sarawak is ready for Phase 2, all precautions and standard operating procedures (SOPs) are still in place.
“Even though we are relaxing restrictions on economic activities, social activities, such as birthday parties, marriage and many others, are still tightly controlled, and the cooperation from everyone is very much needed,” he added.
Also present were Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang and Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) director Khairuddin Drahman.
Yesterday, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas announced that Sarawak has shifted its Covid-19 exit strategy based on the four-phase NRP which will focus on three threshold indicators to take the State out of the health and economic crisis.
He said the threshold values of benchmark for the three indicators are still being reviewed and finetuned to enable divisions in Sarawak to transition from one phase to the next. — DayakDaily
