By Karen Bong
SIBU, April 22: Lorries delivering construction materials to all projects, be it by government, RTP or private sector, have been temporarily forbidden from operating in Sibu under tighter restrictions throughout the CMCO until April 26.
Sibu Municipal Council (SMC) chairman Clarence Ting thus told lorry operators that they have no reason to seek permission to operate for the next four days as authorities have ramped up efforts to keep people at home, curb the spread of Covid-19 and bring down the number of cases in Sibu.
“Construction lorries, don’t tell me you want to operate also when the whole construction industry is closed (from carrying out any work temporarily).
“Don’t tell me lorries need to deliver materials to clients at construction sites when works are being stopped.
“I had somebody asking today about delivering concrete cement to Batu 18. You cannot because construction works are supposed to have stopped,” he said when addressing matters related to the transportation sector after tighter restrictions have been imposed in Sibu during a Facebook livestream session today.
Ting added that all construction projects either under the government, Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) and private sector have been asked to stop while the Pan Borneo Highway project is under review.
However, he explained that a major part of logistics services under the transportation sector are among the essential services that can still continue to operate during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) including ports, airport, cargo facilities, post offices and couriers.
Other services that can run during this critical period, he continued, include delivery services including for food, distribution of cooking gas, medical services including government and private hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) outlets, telecommunications services except sales, and public utilities.
“Public transportation including public buses, express buses, express boats, taxis, and e-hailing services can operate but only at 50 per cent capacity.
“For businesses allowed to operate in the urban areas, please keep your hours between 6am to 8pm.
“We are trying to keep people’s movement to the minimum,” he added.
Ting thus appealed to all Sibu residents to cooperate and endure for only another four days, to be able to turn the Covid-19 situation around and thus be able to go on with their daily lives.
“I know it is not fair to those who cannot run their businesses, we understand and no one wants this to go on. But if we don’t reduce and flatten the cases (sic), can we still have businesses?” he urged residents to ponder. — DayakDaily
