Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas at a SDMC press conference. – File photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (Mar 19): Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas has clarified that he did not defend the federal government’s move to raise the compound on Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP) violators but had merely advised the people to comply with the SOP.
Referring to a report in The Borneo Post, the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman said he did not say anything to suggest that he defended the raising of the compound from RM1,000 to RM10,000 during his press conference on Thursday.
“All that I said was to again remind all Sarawakians to continue to give their fullest cooperation in complying with all the SOP given,” he said, adding that it was presumptuous on the part of the reporter concerned to suggest he was defending the compound.
Reiterating his remarks at the press conference, Uggah said Sarawak has been successful in flattening the curve in the first, second and second third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic because everyone had given their cooperation.
“We had avoided crowded places, we had all worn face masks,” said Uggah.
“I appeal, please, it is very important for all to continue to observe the SOP. Only when one is infected, one will feel the fear, the pain. So take care of your own health. The fine or compound imposed is one way, we hope, the people will follow the SOP.
“But as I have often mentioned all these while, we follow the SOP not because we fear the fine or the compound. We follow them because we all want to be healthy, we want our families to be healthy, we want all Sarawakians to be healthy.
“When we are all healthy, we can continue to live our normal life like before the pandemic. We can do this as long as we are all prepare to make sacrifices and follow the SOP,” Uggah had said.
Although Putrajaya had raised the compound last year, it had on Wednesday announced announced guidelines in determining the compound amount according to violation and gave discounts of 50 per cent or 25 per cent if the compounds were settled within a stipulated period.
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