By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, April 6: It is now compulsory for community leaders and tribal chiefs to report social gatherings organised to the respective district offices.
This is decision by the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) comes following a high number of Covid-19 cases arising due to social gatherings.
SDMC chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said all community leaders have been tasked to monitor and report all social activities such as weddings, funeral ceremonies and so forth in villages to the respective district offices.
He added the district office will then advise community leaders and tribal chiefs to seek assistance from agencies such as the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) in ensuring Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) are being adhered to.
“Community leaders and tribal chiefs play an important role in ensuring the security of the villagers are taken care of to curb the spread of Covid-19.
“They need to provide information and awareness to the locals on the importance of observing the SOPs.
“Now, it is mandatory for them (community leaders) to inform the district offices,” he said during a press conference on the Covid-19 situation in Sarawak at the Old State Legislative building today.
Uggah who is Deputy Chief Minister cited the case of a headman in his Bukit Saban constituency who informed the district office of a funeral ceremony at his longhouse.
Subsequently, Rela members were mobilised to ensure that residents of the longhouse practised SOPs during the funeral ceremony.
With the presence of Rela members, Uggah noted the Covid-19 SOPs in particular physical distancing were observed by people attending the funeral service.
He acknowledged that in the past, there was a lack of compliance among people during social gatherings organised in rural areas.
As a result, Uggah said, there were many Covid-19 cases surfacing following social gatherings. — DayakDaily
