KUCHING, April 4: Another Sarawak Member of Parliament has tested positive for Covid-19, although no details were officially disclosed by the State Disaster Management Committee.
Committee deputy chairman Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah confirmed that a state lawmaker had contracted the virus.
However, he did not reveal the name of the person when asked at the Sarawak daily press conference on Covid-19 here today.
Abdul Karim’s confirmation seemed to have coincided with an online posting on the social media, which claimed that Kota Samarahan MP Rubiah Wang was tested positive for Covid-19.
“There is one MP who was diagnosed to be positive for Covid-19 besides an assistant minister. Some of the cabinet members were asked to perform self-quarantine recently because they were found to have close contact with one of the Covid-19 positive case.
“If I am not mistaken, they were in close contact with the patient in one of the meetings with regards to the food distribution on March 27 but most of them are not confirmed to have Covid-19.
“As far as I am aware, those involved in the self-quarantine are two deputy chief ministers and two ministers,” he said at Wisma Bapa Malaysia.
The cabinet ministers in mentioned included deputy chief ministers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah and Assistant Minister of International Trade and Industry, Industrial Terminal and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Mohd Naroden Majais.
All are currently observing self-quarantine at home following a directive from the state Health Department after having close contact with a Covid-19 patient.
Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii and Sarikei MP Wong Ling Biu were among the state lawmakers who had contracted Covid-19.
The assistant minister tested positive for Covid-19 was Datuk Dr Jerip Susil.
On another note, Abdul Karim who is also Asajaya assemblyman, said the compliance rate of the movement control order in Sarawak was 95 per cent.
The police has arrested 20 people yesterday for violating the MCO. Eight person was arrested in Miri, four in Kuching, three in Kota Samarahan, two in Bau and one each in Padawan, Bintulu and Serian, he added.
A total of 26 people have been charged in court and 12 were from Sibu, Miri (4), Lubok Antu (3), Padawan (2), Song (2) and one each in Bintulu, Kanowit and Matu Daro. — DayakDaily
