KUCHING, April 19: Recommendations for stricter criteria including enforcing 8pm curfews except for emergencies have been made to the Bintulu Division Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) in view of the public’s continuous ignoring of SOPs.
Bintulu Member of Parliament (MP) Dato Sri Tiong King Sing said he would also suggest a mandatory work-from-home (WFH) order for 70 per cent of the workforce and the closure of nurseries and kindergartens to ensure the effectiveness of the current Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
“It should be pointed out that Bintulu District is currently under CMCO. Any business can only be opened until 8pm and any activities to be limited between 6am and 8pm.
“After 8pm, with all businesses closed, any social activities should also end. Unless there is an emergency or medical issue, everyone should stay home,” he said in a statement yesterday (April 18).
On the closure of nurseries and kindergartens, he added that parents ought to delay sending their children to daycare centres or nurseries for the time being as the youngest confirmed Covid-19 case is only three-years-old.
This, he said, shows that Covid-19 is widespread and not limited to any age group, thus it would be best for these children to stay at home for their safety.
He added Bintulu DDMC would consider shortening business operating hours from 8pm to 6pm or even implementing Movement Control Order (MCO) if members of the public refuse to cooperate, and that would only cause inconvenience to all parties.
However, he said, MCO is not an option for the time being though many have agreed and even requested for an MCO as to maintain a balance between protecting lives and keeping the economy running.
“If a lockdown is implemented, many residential neighbourhoods will be affected, which is equivalent to sealing off the entire Bintulu. The severity of the pandemic can be seen in these housing areas.
“There are dozens of confirmed cases in each area, so the public must take the CMCO seriously. Stay at home and do not go out unless necessary. Let’s reduce the flow of people into the town and contain the spread of the coronavirus,” said Tiong. — DayakDaily
