By Lian Cheng and Karen Bong
The Covid-19 pandemic continues to go on a rampage across the globe in 2021 and Sarawak was not spared. Infected cases reached new heights with recorded number of deaths surging on a daily basis. The year 2021 was indeed a sad and tough year for many who lost their loved ones and also for many businessmen who experienced cash flow issues and had no choice but to close down their businesses.
Despite so, Sarawak persisted and moved on. It is only hoped that after all the adversities and trials in 2021, we may see a totally new 2022 where Covid-19 becomes endemic and no longer a threat that destroys not only lives, but also livelihoods.
The Triso Ferry Tragedy
It was a grim and devastating start to the New Year when nine passengers including two young children reportedly died after their 4×4 vehicle rolled off the Triso Ferry and sank into the river at about 3.15pm on Jan 1, 2021.
The scene at the Triso Ferry jetty was horrific as members of the public rushed to rescue and resuscitate the unresponsive and unconscious victims whose bodies were laid out on the ground.
The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Sarawak Operation Centre had immediately deployed the Bomba Saratok and Simunjan teams to the incident site located at Jalan Beladin Triso upon receiving a report of the incident.
The rescue team confirmed that nine people comprising five males and four females died in the heart-wrenching incident.
A whirlwind year with Covid-19
2021 was a devastating, whirlwind year with Covid-19. In the whole of this year as of Dec 31, Sarawak recorded 251,175 cases and 1,596 lives were lost due to the pandemic.
Malaysia declared a national emergency on Jan 12 until Aug 1 to battle the pandemic and the order was extended in Sarawak initially until February 2022 to hold off the State election but it was later lifted earlier on Nov 3.
Sarawak, which was under Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in the beginning of the year, had a short window of calm, recording only single-digit cases in the first week. But an outbreak in Sibu’s Pasai Siong sent ripples across the State especially Sibu Division which saw triple-digit rise in cases in mid-January until March.
The Pasai Cluster stemmed from a funeral at Pasai Siong on Dec 29-31, 2020 and was triggered by an infected individual who had returned from Johor. To date, it remained the largest and most notorious cluster in Sarawak that had resulted in a total of 2,693 people from at least 10 districts infected and 29 fatalities when it ended on April 13.
Due to the Pasai Cluster, MCO was enforced in Sibu Division from Jan 16 to 29 and extended to Feb 14 in bid to halt rising Covid-19 infections. The large part of Sarawak had been under CMCO for the first five months of the year following seven extensions between Jan 31 to May 28.
But fortunately, Sarawak had prepared for the rolling out of vaccines with the first consignment of 23,400 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccines arriving in Sarawak on Feb 24.
Two days later on Chap Goh Meh, the State vaccine rollout was launched with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg receiving his first dose and Sarawak setting the completion of vaccination for about 2.2 million Sarawakians and non-Sarawakians by August.
Mass vaccination centres popped up across the State, as mobile vaccination teams and the Armed Forces Combat Medic teams were deployed to rural hard-to-reach areas, and mobile bus teams reached out to community and private hospitals and clinics were roped in to scale up the vaccination rollout.
The Covid-19 situation in Sarawak did not improve even with the implementation of the CMCO, but only worsened due to poor compliance to standard operating procedures (SOP) especially during the Hari Raya celebrations.
With that, Sarawak went back to harsher MCO-style lockdown for two weeks from May 29-June 11 to curb the spread during the Gawai holidays. It was eventually extended to June 28 under Phase 1 National Recovery Plan (NRP), a new four-phase exit strategy unveiled by the Federal government to take the country out of the crisis.
During this period, most social and economic activities came to a halt or slowed down in some sectors except for essential and critical services. Movement was restricted, dining-in was not allowed, night curfew was enforced and schools were closed.
Even so, Sarawak’s Covid-19 daily caseload continued to hover in the 500-600 range in April to June.
Delta variant changes the game
Just when cases began to dip a little, the Delta variant made its way to Sarawak on July 8 involving a 56-year-old man who tested positive on June 18 upon returning from other states in Malaysia.
Thereafter on July 13, 16 more Delta vases were identified in Kuching. Then a week later on July 21, a shocking additional 76 Delta cases were found in Sarawak which was also traced to active clusters in Kuching, Samarahan, Serian, Sri Aman, Sibu, Miri and Betong.
By Oct 8, there were 780 more Delta cases detected including the variant sublineage, making it the dominant variant circulating in Sarawak. Sarawak emerged top among the states in Malaysia with the highest number of Delta cases with a cumulative total of 1,782 cases recorded as of Oct 30.
The end of August and entire September were the worst period for Sarawak with Covid-19 cases breaching the 2,500-3,000 mark for weeks and hitting a record high of 5,291 cases on Sept 12 and 147 clusters on Sept 9.
However, Sarawak managed to shift to Phase 2 of NRP on July 14 and subsequently transitioned to Phase 3 on Aug 4, except for the Southern Zone of Kuching, Bau, Lundu, Samarahan, Simunjan, Asajaya, Serian and Tebedu which joined the entire Sarawak on Oct 1.
The situation took a turn for the better as cases continued to spiral downward since the second week of October largely due to Sarawak achieving a high vaccination rate of 90 per cent by Oct 9 and booster shots were rolled out on Oct 13.
Sarawak has managed to keep cases below 50 since Dec 15 with only 14 cases reported as of Dec 31.
Four air force personnel die in shooting incident
On Aug 13, a shooting incident at the Kota Samarahan Royal Malaysia Air Force (RMAF) guard station saw the death of four RMAF officers on duty that day.
A RMAF officer who was supposed to be under Covid-19 quarantine had taken a gun from the guard station of Kota Samarahan RMAF.
When his colleague tried to calm him down, he shot his colleague in the stomach and opened fire on two other victims.
Two victims died on the spot while the third tried to drive to a nearby health clinic to seek treatment. Despite the effort, the third victim did not make it.
After killing and wounding his own colleague, the RMAF serviceman turned the gun on himself.
The Fall of the PN Government
On Aug 16, former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin stepped down after Perikatan Nasional (PN) lost its majority in Parliament.
He resigned after 17 months as the shortest serving premier following persistent bickering within the ruling coalition.
Four days later, the King appointed Perak MP Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob who managed to garner the support of 114 MPs out of 220 of them to be the 9th prime minister for Malaysia.
He was sworn in at Istana Negara on Aug 21.
After his swearing in, federal ministers from Sarawak retaind their posts except for Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar who was appointed Minister in Prime Minister Department in charging of Parliament and Laws, instead of Entrepreneur Development and Coorperatives.
Sarawakian ministers such as Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusuf maintained as his ministry as the Works Minister, Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister while Dato Sri Nancy Shukri, the Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister.
Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing continued to be the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to China while other deputy ministers all kept their deputy ministerial posts.
D’Drift hits the road
The DayakDaily D’Drift 2021 team hit the road on a statewide trip from Oct 11 to 20 where they covered three national parks of Maludam, Loagan Bunut and Lambir Hills, apart from picking up issues along small towns, settlements and outposts.
As part of DayakDaily’s annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) project, it was also sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) and supported by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC).
The three-member team completed a 10-day journey across 15 districts and sub-district including Asajaya, Maludam, Kabong, Sarikei, Mukah, Niah, Bekenu, Loagan Bunut, Lapok, Lambir, Tatau, Sibu, Pusa, Layar and Simanggang, before returning to base in Kuching.
The three national parks were the focus of the trip as an effort to increase awareness on the existence of local tourism destinations in Sarawak’s very own backyard as well as to encourage domestic and international tourism.
The dragons trapped in cages in Beliong Temple, Asajaya; ‘headless’ coconut trees at Tanjung Riong in Maludam; experiencing the roller coaster ride on Sarawak’s Pan Borneo Highway; Jerunai (burial totems) and hanging coffins in Kampung Tellian, Mukah; laidback fishing and serenity of Balingian; sparkling ocean of Tusan Beach in Miri; boat ride in Loagan Bunut in Miri; and Lapok cowboy town swarmed with pickup trucks were among the gems uncovered.
The Passing of Masing
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing, 72, drew his last breath at 7.05am in Normah Sarawak Medical Centre on Oct 31 due to heart complications.
He is survived by his wife Puan Sri Dato Corrine Masing and five children.
As a prolific politician for last three decades, Masing had helmed Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) at its founder and first president since 2004 until his passing.
The Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development and Baleh assemblyman was known for being bold and outspoken and was never afraid of speaking the truth, even on sensitive topics such as racial and religious issues.
Despite his absence, however, PRS has managed to retain all its 11 allocated seats during the 12th Sarawak Election.
The 12th Sarawak Election
On Dec 18, Sarawak ruling coalition Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) secured a landslide victory by garnering 76 out of total 82 seats, three seats more than the 2016 Sarawak Election led by late Chief Minister Pehin Sri Adenan Satem.
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) retained all its 47 seats while Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) managed to wrestle back five Chinese-majority seats as well as one Bidayuh-majority seat of Opar, to hold a total of 13 seats after retaining all its former seven seats of Batu Kawa, Batu Kitang, Piasau, Senadin, Repok, Meradong and Simanggang.
Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) managed to take Dudong out of the grid of Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) while winning also the long lost Krian seat after former Krian assemblyman “withdrew” halfway through the campaign and called on his supporters to vote for PDP candidate Friday Belik.
For Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) which lost its president just weeks before the election, it had performed extraordinary well despite a full force assault launched by PSB in all 11 seats allocated to it. PRS defended all its 11 seats.
Parti Bumi Kenyalang, the Opposition party which managed to garner the biggest team of 73 did not manage to make it in any seat. PSB which fielded 70 candidates not only did not manage to gain new grounds, it lost two seats it held before — Opar and Dudong while managing to defend its four other seats including Bawang Assan, Batu Lintang, Engkilili and Bakelalan with slim majorities.
None of the candidates from other local Opposition parties such as Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi), Parti Sedar Rakyat Sarawak (Sedar), Partti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS) Baru and Peninsular-Malaysian based parties such as Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKS), Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (Pas) as well as 30 independent made it in any constituency.
Omicron takes over
As Covid-19 cases plummeted across Sarawak and just as people thought they could heave a sigh of relief that the end of pandemic may be in sight with Christmas and New Year holidays around the corner, Omicron landed in Sarawak on Dec 17.
On Dec 24, there were four Omicron cases detected in Sarawak including a local case involving a 38-year-old Chinese national working at an engineering company in Kuching who had no history of travelling abroad in the past three years.
The Chinese woman was among two Omicron cases detected in Kuching. Another case involved a 25-year-old female who returned from the United Kingdom.
The two other cases were reported in Bintulu involving a 52-year-old man returning from Nigeria and a 19-year-old male returning from the United Kingdom.
The local case found in Kuching has set the alarm off of a possible local community transmission of the heavily mutated and fast-spreading variant with health experts warning it could already spread in the community for quite some time.
Out of fear or another wave, Christmas and New Year celebrations were called off in Sarawak and people have been urged to take their booster shots as soon as possible.
Abang Jo’s Cabinet
Abang Johari who won the 12th Sarawak Election with an overwhelming victory, announced his Cabinet of 10 full ministers and 26 assistant ministers on Dec 30 afternoon at Wisma Bapa Malaysia.
The new Cabinet was announced by Abang Johari in a press conference at Wisma Bapa Malaysia, consisting of 10 full ministers and 26 assistant ministers.
Kakus assemblyman Datuk John Sikie Tayai (Minister in Chief Minister’s Department), Sebuyau assemblyman Datuk Julaihi Narawi (Utility and Telecommunication Minister) and Tarat assemblyman Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn (Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister) are the three new ministers apart from old faces such as Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas (Deputy Chief Minister, Second Finance and Economy Minister, Infrastructure and Port Development Minister) Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan (Deputy Chief Minister, Second Natural Resources and Urban Development Minister, International Trade and Investment Minister), Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian (Deputy Chief Minister, Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister).
Other full ministers were Dato Sri Stephen Rundi Utom (Modernisation of Agriculture and Regional Development), Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin (Minister of Transport), Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister and Youth, Sport and Entrepreneur Development Minister) and Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah (Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister).
Sarawak also sees 11 assemblymen and women who have been appointed as assistant ministers for the first time. They are Dato Majang Renggi, Michael Tiang, Dato Gerald Rentap Jabu, Datuk Juanda Jaya, Dr Hazland Abang Hipni, Aidel Lariwoo, Ripin Lamat, Dato Henry Harry Jinep, Martin Ben, Mohd Razi Sitam and Jefferson Jamit Unyat.
Other assistant ministers are Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman, Datuk Gerawat Gala Datuk Abdullah Saidol, Datu Len Talif Salleh, Datuk Dr Malcom Mussen Lamoh, Datu Dr Penguang Manggil, Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, Datuk Liwan Lagang, Dato Sebastian ting, Datuk Snowdan Lawan, Datuk Rosey Yunus, Dr Annuar Rapa’ee and Datuk Francis Harden Hollis.
As 2021 comes to a close, we will be ringing in another new year with the Covid-19 pandemic at our side. Many challenges will be brought forward for almost all of us but certainly, we have learned a lot over the past 12 months.
As such, we should be brave, push ahead and keep our spirits high in anticipating better things in the new year. The Year of the Tiger is upon us and here’s hoping Sarawak will roar back to life. — DayakDaily
