Kadzim speaking to the media after the dress rehearsal.
KOTA KINABALU(Sept 18): All those who will be on duty during the State Assembly sitting next Tuesday will be undergoing a Covid-19 swab test starting on Monday.
State Assembly Speaker Datuk Kadzim M Yahya said the RTK Antigen screening is part of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) implemented to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
“All elected representatives are also required to undergo a RTK Antigen screening 48 hours before the start of the sitting. They are required to submit the result of the screening by Monday,” he said after observing the second dress rehearsal of the sitting on Saturday.
“Other than being fully vaccinated, all those on duty during the State Assembly sitting from Sept 21 to 23 as well as the state elected representatives must undergo the swab test,” he said.
Kadzim also reminded all the state elected representatives to not linger too long in the State Assembly building to prevent any infection.
This, he said was the advice from the Health Ministry adding,” therefore we have shortened the duration of the sitting and only allow the state assemblyman to debate the Head of State’s policy speech.
To ensure social distancing is observed, partitions have been installed at the state assemblymen’s seats, he said, adding that the State Assembly has not received any requests for exemption from attending the sitting.
“We are aware that some of the state elected representatives are also Members of Parliament and they are currently attending the Dewan Rakyat sitting,” he said.
Also attending the dress rehearsal were Deputy State Assembly Speakers Datuk Ahmad Abdul Rahman and Datuk George Anthony Ginibun, State Assembly Secretary Rafidah Maqbool Rahman and Deputy State Assembly Secretary Mohd Jayrie Jaya.
The 16th State Assembly will be opened by Head of State Tun Juhar Mahiruddin on Tuesday followed by a two-day sitting on Sept 22 and 23.