SIBU, Jan 13: Police here have set up roadblocks at two more locations as inter-district travel is now not allowed for two weeks starting midnight of Jan 12.
Sibu is one of three places in the state classified as Covid-19 red zones, having recorded 93 new cases since Jan 8.
The two roadblocks are at the Sibu-Paradom roundabout which is the gateway to Sarikei, Bintangor and Southern Sarawak which include Sri Aman, Serian and Kuching while the other roadblock is at Mile 12 of the Sibu-Bintulu Road which leads to Bintulu and Miri.
The police are already enforcing a roadblock at the Pasai Siong junction where a new cluster, Pasai Cluster, had been identified on Jan 8.
Of the recent 93 Covid-19 cases in Sibu, 83 of them are from the Pasai Cluster.
Sibu district police chief ACP Stanley Jonathan Ringgit however said today that they would not fine anybody caught without travel permits at the roadblock for the first two days.
Instead, the police would advise them not to repeat the offence.
Stanley when speaking to reporters at the Sibu-Paradom roundabout today, said the police were only allowing motorists performing essential services to pass through the roadblocks.
“For those caught without the travel permit, we will give advice for the first two days first. Following that we will start taking appropriate action,” he said.
Under Regulation 7 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020, those caught doing inter-district travel without the travel permit can be fined RM1,000.
He said each roadblock with three shifts are manned by four police personnel and eight soldiers.
On travel permits, he said many people have visited police stations to apply for it.
“We are issuing travel permits for travelling out of Sibu. The form is also available at all police stations and not only here,” he said. — DayakDaily
