By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, March 21: Four male Sarawakians who went to Makassar, Indonesia, for the tabligh religious gathering are now high on the state’s wanted list, as they could pose risk as carriers of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Masing said the relevant authorities are monitoring border entry points including illegal routes along the Indonesian borders on the possibility that the individuals could enter the state quietly.
“We are guarding all our border posts. The relevant authorities are watching in case they try to sneak in,” he told reporters after the State Disaster Relief Committee meeting at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here today.
Masing branded the four individuals as being worst than terrorists, as the state has to take extra precaution of the danger they could pose amid the the Covid-19 outbreak.
He added that the authorities could not stop them from leaving the country, as they left on March 16, two days before the Movement Control Order (MCO) was imposed.
Masing said they can come back to Sarawak but hey must be subjected to scrutiny and quarantined for 14 days.
The religious gathering in Makassar have been called off by the Indonesian authorities due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
According to Jakarta Post, a total 8,223 people who turned up for the religious gathering were sent home in stages.
It also reported that 474 foreigners from at least 12 countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Saudi Arabia, India, the Netherlands, Thailand and the Philippines, have been placed in hotels owned by the provincial administration in Makassar.
Meanwhile, Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Corporate Affairs and Sarawak Public Communications Unit), Abdullah Saidol, said the four Sarawakians who went to Makassar were not part of the Sri Petaling tabligh religious gathering, where some 16,000 people were reported to have participated including 609 Sarawakians. — DayakDaily
