By Adrian Lim
KUCHING, July 20: An additional 25 schools in the Padawan district will have their school reopening postponed to Aug 3.
State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said this will affect two secondary schools and 23 primary schools.
He explained that the committee upon the advice of the State Health Department, National Security Council (NSC) and after discussion with representatives from the State Education Department had decided to increase the number of schools in Padawan affected by the postponement.
“This includes two secondary schools involving transition class, Form One, Two, Three, Four and Lower Six classes.
“It also includes 23 primary schools involving Primary One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six,” he said during a press conference to give updates on the Covid-19 situation in Sarawak today.
He added the academic session for preschool and Form Five and Six students will resume as usual.
On another note, Uggah who is also the Deputy Chief Minister said the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has made four arrests involving foreign guest relation workers in Mukah who did not have legal working permits and issued 46 compounds to people who violated standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Out of the 46 compounds issued, 34 involved an entertainment centre in Kuching while the balance was issued at an entertainment centre in Mukah.
Uggah who is Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development Minister disclosed 32 students who are studying in Sarawak but staying in Kalimantan, Indonesia with their family members had returned to the state.
All the students are Malaysians and they have been admitted to quarantine centres to undergo 14-day quarantines with a Covid-19 swab test to be taken on the second and 10th day from the date of their return to Sarawak.
He revealed that 19 students are studying at SMK Lubok Antu, nine at SMK Engkilili, one at SK Lubok Antu, one at SK Batang Ai, one at SK Panjat Sejingkat Kuching and one at UiTM Shah Alam, Selangor.
Uggah said besides these students, there were also 11 persons who entered Sarawak from Kalimantan, Indonesia and six of them were in close contact with case number 601.
All 11 persons have undergone the first round of Covid-19 swab tests and their results returned negative.
Apart from that, Uggah said the State Health Department had conducted random Covid-19 swab tests at construction sites, plantation areas, Sarawak’s point of entry and for returning teachers from Peninsular Malaysia.
Going forward, Uggah said the State Health Department will increase the percentage of random testing to 10 per cent for passengers at main entry points into Sarawak.
He also said Sarawakian returnees from overseas are required to undergo polymerase chain reaction (PCR) rapid tests (RTs) three days prior to their departure date.
Upon their arrival in Sarawak, they will need to undergo 14-day quarantines at designated quarantine centres.
Uggah added the random rT-PCR will also be done on passengers from each flight coming to Sarawak. — DayakDaily
