KUCHING, Mar 27: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said Sarawak and Brunei border will only operate for 12 hours daily, starting tomorrow.
According to Uggah, this was based on the new opening hours which have been conveyed to the state’s Immigration Department by its Brunei counterpart.
“The State Disaster Management Committee wishes to inform all Sarawakians that the state border with Brunei will only be open from 6am to 6pm effective tomorrow 28 March, 2020,” he said in a press conference today.
Meanwhile, Uggah also said that Sarawak government had decided to appoint elected representatives or “Wakil Rakyat” to lead at the Divisional Disaster Management Committee due to the current Covid-19 outbreak.
He explained that their task will include assisting the respective Resident and District Officers in co-coordinating various activities at the ground level, including overseeing the need for more quarantine centres and also problem faced by the hospitals.
“Apart from that, they will also be looking into problems faced by the local people such as possibility of water shortage due to drought season, shortage of food supplies and what ever other related problem.
“They will also act as the advisor to the rural folks to explain why the Movement Control Orders (MCO) is necessary, and why social distancing is important.
“This include on keeping high personal hygiene standard and on the need to minimise the number of crowd at any gathering such as during a funeral in the longhouses,” he added.
Among the elected representative and their designated divisions are Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian (Bandar Kuching), Datuk Dr. Abdul Rahman Junaidi (Kuching), Dr. Hazlan Abang Hipni (outskirts of Kuching/Samarahan/Lundu), Datuk Dr. Jerip Susil (Serian/Bau), Gerald Rentap Jabu (Betong), Francis Harden Hollis (Sri Aman), Datu Len Talif (Sarikei), Dr Annuar Rapa’ee (Sibu), Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah (Mukah), Jefferson Jamit and Wilson Nyambong (Kapit), Datuk Stephen Rundi Utom (Bintulu), Datuk Lee Kim Shin and Dr Nuing Jeluin (Miri) and Datuk Dr. Abdul Rahman Ismail (Limbang).—DayakDaily.
