KUCHING, May 18:Â The total 7,606 students who have been flown back to Sarawak from Peninsular Malaysia since May 1 until today have all undergone stringent health swab tests prior to being allowed to return to Sarawak.
Deputy Transport Minister Hasbi Habibollah said, in a statement, today that safe standard operation procedure (SOP) has been observed while sending these students back.
“From 1-18 May 2020, a total of 7,606 students have been ferried back to Sarawak including to Kuching, Bintulu, Miri, and Sibu. All had undergone the said stringent health swab tests prior to being allowed to return to Sarawak.
“On the boarding process, social distancing between students was strictly observed based on guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
“At all times, the health and safety of students and crew were paramount to the government,” said Hasbi.
In response to baseless feedback from certain quarters accusing the government of being lacklustre in implementing these measures, the Limbang MP said the Ministry reassured that all students from Sabah and Sarawak who were flown back to their hometowns on special chartered flights had been quarantined for two months in their respective campuses in Peninsular Malaysia.
They were also given swab tests prior to being ferried on sanitised buses to Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
“Upon touching down in Sarawak, these students were also required to be quarantined in quarters arranged by the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee for 14 days before being allowed back to their homes,” said Hasbi.
He stressed that the Malaysian government has implemented safe standard operating procedures for the conduct of flights from the Peninsula to both Sabah and Sarawak as part of the nationwide efforts to contain and prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus and its resulting Covid-19 disease.
“We also strongly urge parents and students to continue to obey quarantine procedures as part of their social responsibility to help prevent any inadvertent spread of the coronavirus in their communities.
“The public is advised to continue to follow the CMCO that is in effect until June 9, 2020,” said Hasbi. – DayakDaily
