KUCHING, July 31: Bintulu MP Dato’ Sri Tiong King Sing appeals to all ‘tuai rumah’ (chieftains) in Bintulu to be more vigilant and not to take the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set lightly.
According to Tiong, some areas in Bintulu have also began to show signs of another outbreak, which includes factories, construction sites and workshops that have been difficult to monitor and ensure compliance to the SOPs.
“Longhouses, especially along Jalan Bintulu-Miri and Kuala Tatau also show sporadic confirmed cases. I want to appeal to the ‘tuai rumah’ to increase their vigilance and remind their residents to take the SOPs seriously and not hold any gatherings or festivities for now,” he said in a statement today.
Tiong noted, a total of seven individuals have been found to be positive for Covid-19 after completing their two doses of vaccination, sounding the alarm for more outbreaks.
He said it has been reported that even after receiving their two doses, those seven individuals were still confirmed to be positive with Covid-19.
“Therefore, the public must again be reminded that the vaccines are not ‘magic bullets’ that can guarantee total immunity from the coronavirus. They must still exercise caution from being infected and to prevent transmissions from occurring,” he added.
Meanwhile, Tiong, who is also the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) president, called on the Health Department and enforcement agencies to continue to heighten their monitoring by organising surprise inspections of factories and businesses to check on compliance.
He said although it is the people’s choice to follow the SOPs or not, they have no ground to complain about the government or authorities enforcing the compliance for the greater good of everyone’s health and safety, and violators must be fined and their workers reminded to comply with the SOPs.
He pointed out that with Bintulu’s increasing vaccination numbers and the gradual relaxation of various Covid-19 prevention SOPs, the private sector has not learned the value of prudent caution against the pandemic.
No matter, he continued, in factories, workplaces, or shopping centres, there is no proper control of the SOPs.
“The flow of people without compliance with the SOPs have become even more lax and the patrolling police can see people having barbecue gatherings in the open, even when confirmed cases have been detected in the housing areas.
“Yesterday’s 27 new confirmed cases in Bintulu is still the true picture. There should be no confusion; outbreaks of confirmed cases are never far away.
“To start to take it for granted and prematurely relax our compliance to the SOPs could wipe away all the efforts and sacrifice we have made so far, especially the work of our frontline personnel,” he said. — DayakDaily
