By Karen Bong
KUCHING, July 21: All Malaysians including Sarawakians are not required to undergo Covid-19 testing three days prior to travelling to Sarawak nor observe a 14-day home quarantine upon arrival.
State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas explained that currently, there is no condition requiring Sarawakians or those from Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Labuan intending to come to Sarawak to undergo Covid-19 tests three days before their journey.
“However, all arrivals must fill up the e-Health declaration form upon arrival. Secondly, they will need to have their temperatures taken.
“And we have decided to conduct random Covid-19 tests on 10 per cent (of the arrivals). Meaning, if there are 100 passengers coming, 10 of them will be randomly picked for the tests,” he told a daily press conference to give updates on the Covid-19 situation in Sarawak here today.
Uggah revealed that one positive case, who came from Kedah, was detected under the random test measure.
“They also don’t have to go for quarantine but for those who tested positive, they will immediately be quarantined and isolated,” he said.
He also disclosed that Sarawak will follow the federal government’s safety and health guidelines requiring all returning Malaysians from overseas to undergo a test three days before their departure date to prove they are free from Covid-19.
As for the latest guideline for all returnees from abroad, both Malaysian citizens and not, to undergo mandatory quarantines at centres designated by the government starting July 24, Uggah said Sarawak will maintain its policy for a 14-day compulsory quarantine at hotels or other quarantine centres selected by the government.
“We have relaxed that condition a few days ago in which individuals who tested negative after a swab on the second day are allowed to continue quarantine at home.
“But we have one case where the swab on the second day returned negative but on the 10th day was positive.
“So, learning from that experience, we want to maintain the 14-day quarantine order in selected facilities for those returning from overseas,” he said, adding that it will cut down the risk of spreading Covid-19.
Uggah also explained that the Sarawak government will bear the quarantine accommodation cost for Sarawakians but as for foreign workers, employers will have to pay for the costs for accommodation and PCR tests. — DayakDaily
