By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, Jan 25: A longhouse in Beluru will have its lockdown extended to another two weeks while four others, another seven days.
This is according to Marudi assemblyman Datu Penguang Manggil who disclosed that the lockdown of Rumah Emah Umbing will be extended for another two weeks after Jan 25, 2021. The new lockdown expiry date for this longhouse is Feb 8, 2021.
The other four longhouses which will come under a lengthened lockdown of another seven days are Rumah Apoi Alam, Rumah Chabu Makom, Rumah Anthony Ladi and Rumah Justine Manai. The new phase of lockdown for these four longhouses will end on Feb 3, 2021.
Presently, these are the five longhouses in Beluru that are seriously affected by Covid-19 infections and are under mass quarantine.
Penguang said the Beluru cases are all linked to the Pasai Cluster. A few from these longhouses had gone for the funeral at Pasai Siong and infected other longhouse mates upon returning.
Apart from the five longhouses, Penguang said a plantation is now joining the list of Beluru lockdown, making it five longhouses and one plantation.
Peguang, who is also Local Government and Housing Assistant MiFnister, said the cases in Ladang Grand Olie Bakong (Northern Division) are linked to the Rakut Cluster.
“All those in the plantation, including some locals and Indonesian workers are now under lockdown,” he said.
Penguang held that Covid-19 has been spreading fast in longhouses because there is a general lack of understanding on Covid-19 among the longhouse folks.
“There is a woman in the longhouses. She contracted the virus and recovered from it and has been allowed to return to the longhouse.
“However, she is still placed under high risk group and has been monitored by wearing QR-coded wristband. But she has been going around the longhouses and even to the checkpoint outside the longhouse.
“She was asked not to do so and she became angry and quarrelled with the other longhouse folks who were worried to see her moving around freely,” said Penguang.
To stop Covid-19 spread, he said there is a checkpoint stationed outside the road leading to each of these five longhouses.
“We must stop outsiders from coming in and our folks to go out. We must especially be careful with the oil and gas people returning to our longhouses,” he said.
Meanwhile, on the needs of the longhouse folks under lockdown, Penguang said they have been taken care of by the Welfare Department.
As the elected representative of the area, he also topped up the food aid by sending in food baskets for the affected longhouse folks. — DayakDaily
