KUCHING, Jan 12: With Covid-19 case numbers spiking across the country again, Parti Bumi Kenyalang (PBK) opined that perhaps a 20-day lockdown with total ban on movement except for getting necessities be implemented to curb the pandemic once and for all.
Its president Voon Lee Shan has expressed disappointment with the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC)’s decision on Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) announced yesterday (Jan 11) which still allows people to enter Sarawak with permits obtained from the police.
“To combat this virus, we should learn from Wuhan (China). There should not be a half-hearted fight against this pandemic.
“Wuhan was placed under a strict lockdown that lasted for about 76 days including suspending public transport and people need to be disciplined to fight this,” he said in a statement today.
Voon pointed out that SDMC should realise that most of the Covid-19 cases recorded in Sarawak were imported and therefore should implement a total ban for those outside Sarawak from entering the state including from overseas.
“This coronavirus is more dangerous during cold weather and now it’s the landas (monsoon) season. This will cause the virus to spread more quickly,” he said.
Therefore, to combat this deadly disease, Voon suggested an immediate total lockdown in Sarawak and restricting people from going out of their homes unless to get food and necessities only.
“No one should be allowed to dine in shops and businesses should close temporarily. It may be painful but we all must cooperate and endure it.
“We were nearly successful in this fight but (due to) relaxation in the last three to four months had caused the sudden surge of cases again,” he added.
Meanwhile, SDMC announced that a 14-day CMCO will be enforced from Jan 13 until 26 in three zones namely Kuching Zone (Kuching, Samarahan and Serian), Sibu Zone (Sibu and Sarikei) and Miri Zone (Miri).
During the CMCO period, only those in the essential services are allowed to travel with police permit, beyond the declared zones while inter-zone movement is permitted.
Inter-state travel from Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Labuan into Sarawak will be required to obtain police permit as well.
It is also mandatory for all arrivals into Sarawak to undergo 14-days quarantine at designated facilities with swab tests to be done on the second and 10th days of the quarantine.
This order was issued after Sarawak recorded its highest daily toll of 153 cases yesterday that led to several districts in the State turning red and yellow overnight. In the past 14 days, Sarawak recorded 209 local Covid-19 cases. — DayakDaily
