Dr Yii is urging the Sarawak government to compel those travelling out of Red Zones to undergo Covid-19 tests. – Bernama file photo
KUCHING: Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii is urging the Sarawak government to compel those travelling out of Red Zones to undergo Covid-19 tests.
He said while inter-district travelling would be controlled during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) period, the running of Covid-19 tests was important, especially in considering that certain places in the state had reverted to CMCO from the initial MCO phase, as well as the high number of unlinked cases.
“While I understand this may cause some level of inconvenience, but this is important to protect other parts of Sarawak, especially the Green Zones and Some Yellow Zones as well.
“As seen by the high numbers of cases, especially in the Red Zones and many unlinked cases, the virus is likely already in the community.
“Thus, we must take extra precaution to make sure that there are no asymptomatic carriers who may bring it outside of those zones, especially to the rural areas where healthcare facilities are limited,” he said when contacted by The Borneo Post on Sunday following the extension of CMCO statewide until this March 1.
Dr Yii said inter-district travelling must be heavily regulated and controlled to protect the Green Zones and even the Yellow Zones to certain extent from a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases. He then pointed out that the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) could implement a policy, of which in order to get permission to travel out especially those in essential services, they could apply first for a police permit.
Those successful, he added, would then be allowed to get free Covid-19 testing in any of the clinics involved.
“Only with both the police permit plus a negative Covid-19 result, then one is allowed to travel outside a Red Zone.”
SDMC, in its daily update on Saturday, announced that the CMCO period would be extended once more until this March 1.
Throughout the period, the committee said all inter-zone movements across Sarawak without permission from the police would be prohibited.
The committee also warned that economic activities such as the opening of daily markets, wholesale markets, farmers markets, night markets and late night bazaars would not be allowed in Red Zone districts across Sarawak.
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