By Adrian Lim
BINTULU, Sept 7: Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing is urging the authorities to implement strict lockdown at housing areas.
He noted there were some residents who employed tricks in exploiting loopholes to escape the housing areas that were under lockdown.
“The lockdown policy is not to trap or harass any person but it is to identify potential Covid-19 carriers and contain the spread of the coronavirus and protect people’s health.
“Fleeing from lockdowns does not guarantee your health or protect you from infection.
“On the contrary, running away without knowing your status risks your own health and others around you,” he said in a statement.
Tiong cited data from mass testing in Jade Garden and Taman Bandar Jaya following lockdown has identified nine asymptomatic cases from 30 people screened.
He added more than 60 confirmed cases were also detected from Taman Bandar Jaya which was under lockdown.
“How many more would be lurking in these housing area? Many people who escape the lockdowns do not think of the potential danger their action could cause.
“By leaving their homes like this, how certain are they that no one else in their families are non-symptomatic carriers?,” he asked.
At the same time, Tiong who is also Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president urges the Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) to take immediate action against landlords of rented rooms who refused to comply with the standard operating procedures (SOP) of coronavirus prevention.
He noted the Covid-19 pandemic situation in Bintulu has become more severe with more cases detected in rented rooms in the past few weeks.
Tiong said hundreds of confirmed Covid-19 cases have been recorded with many tenants being affected by new tenants.
He pointed out that Bintulu is unable to tolerate the behaviour of those apathetic shoplot owners.
“I have highlighted this issue many times but many cases are still cropping up due to infections brought by new tenants who have not been tested before moving in.
“This has led to many other tenants being infected with Covid-19. To the owners of these bilik sewa (rented rooms), we can only say we have warned them and now we would have to enforce the law to deal with irresponsible owners who allow unchecked new tenants.
“After all, we have received countless complaints from their worried existing tenants who say the owners have made no move to look into ensuring that their properties do not turn into Covid-19 breeding grounds,” he added.
— DayakDaily
