By Karen Bong
KUCHING, May 12: All Sarawakians, including students, returning to Sarawak will be issued a wristband and have to undergo a compulsory 14-day quarantine at home.
State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas informed that Sarawakians returning to the state from Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Labuan were required to observe 14-days quarantine at home.
“They will be given a wristband for surveillance purposes. This is to avoid a second wave (of Covid-19 infections).
“I understand that having to undergo a 14-day quarantine is troublesome but it must be complied with because it is a measure to break the chain of transmission and control Covid-19 outbreak in Sarawak,” he urged during a press conference on Covid-19 today.
Uggah shared that Sabah recorded 10 new positive cases on Monday (May 11) and they were from those who had returned to the state. Until May 11, Sabah had only one or zero cases reported daily over the past few weeks.
“We are working on our policies to prepare for the possibility of a second wave which I hope will not happen. But even if it comes, it would not be as serious as experienced by certain countries.
“So to ensure our objectives can be achieved, I am appealing to all for cooperation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Minister for Local Government and Housing Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian warned that those who tampered with or cut off their wristbands would be breaking the law and face legal actions.
“Home quarantine is all about self-discipline. The wristband is given so that their movement can be tracked to ensure they don’t breach the law.
“The usage of the wristband has been gazetted under the latest CMCO (giving it the force of law) which will be imposed until June 9,” he said.
While Sarawak strives to flatten the first Covid-19 wave, Dr Sim urged everyone to do their part in helping to prevent the second wave of infections.
“Without imported cases, Sarawak would not have Covid-19 in the first place,” he added. —DayakDaily
