KUCHING, May 2: Sorry foodies, but coffee shops and restaurants, as well as food trucks in Sarawak, will not be allowed to serve dine-in customers on May 4.
As Sarawakians have been waiting on bated breath for the Sarawak government’s decision on whether to follow the federal’s Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) on May 4, today it announced its decision decided to maintain the guidelines and standard operating procedures imposed under Phase One to Three of the Movement Control Order (MCO) for the time being.
Thus, the Sarawak government will not be following the decision made by the federal government to open up all the economic sectors on Monday.
“The Sarawak Government fully respects the announcement made by the YAB Prime Minister Tan Seri Muhyiddin Yassin on the need to reopen the economy hence relaxing the MCO 4 (Conditional MCO) effective this Monday (May 4).
“However, the State Government has decided to study the implications of the reopening of such economic activities, which sectors to open, when and to what extent they will be allowed to open.
“For this purpose, the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) intends to make a decision after it has studied the changes in the regulations in Act 342 pursuant to the announcement by the YAB Prime Minister.
“The SDMC must ensure that the reopening of the economic activities and sectors suits Sarawak circumstances,” SDMC said in a statement.
Additionally, SDMC added it has found many of the standards of compliance of the reopening of the economic activities as listed by the federal government will not be conducive in Sarawak.
It noted the decision to maintain the status quo after taking into consideration Sarawak’s local situation in terms of the Covid-19 cases, logistic capability, the capacity of the Health Department and its geographical circumstances.
Hence, SDMC pointed out that the State government had decided to keep all the directives which are to maintain the status quo.
SDMC noted all the directives as announced under MCO Phase One, Two and Three remain in force for the time being.
However, SDMC revealed that the state government will announce in stages the reopening of economic activities and other sectors in the near future.
SDMC noted the announcement will be done after every minute details of the standard operating procedures and guidelines are studied.
In addition, SDMC revealed that those who have received approvals by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry to operate during MCO Phase Four are also required to get the State government’s approval through the SDMC for their applications to be reviewed before they are allowed to operate. —DayakDaily
