Dr Kelvin Yii speaks in Parliament in this file photo.
KUCHING (Dec 29): In view of the rising Covid-19 cases in the Klang Valley with both Kuala Lumpur and Selangor being classified as red zones, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii is urging the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) to quarantine not just normal folks returning to Sarawak, but also VVIPs including politicians.
“I believe when it comes to preventing an infectious disease like Covid-19, there should not be any double standards in the necessary standard operating procedures (SOP), especially when it involves politicians or public figures, whom due to the nature of their job, will meet many people thus increasing the risk of spreading the disease.
“In Sarawak, we have one of the best advantages in terms of controlling the disease, which is our immigration autonomy, where we can limit those coming in and subject them to quarantine thus reducing chances of local transmission especially for those coming from high-risk areas,” he said in a statement today.
However, Dr Yii noted that this advantage will be compromised when the state starts making too many exemptions for these VVIPs.
“Currently ministers and other politician returning to Sarawak need to prove that they are negative at least three days before, but that test itself does not guarantee that they will not catch the virus right after they take that test, or maybe when the test was done, the virus is still in the incubation period and thus returns a negative result.
“The risk is higher especially if there are in a red zone where the virus is in the community and the risk of catching it is higher,” he said.
Dr Yii understands that there is a need for certain “essential services” to go on.
“But I believe for politicians, they can take innovative steps to make sure their work or administration is done through technology like Zoom and so on without the need to travel either out of the state or back to Sarawak often.
“Certain opening events or mere groundbreaking events can be postponed especially when involving people flying over from these red zones,” he said.
He added that federal ministers and deputy ministers based in Kuala Lumpur or Putrajaya can make the arrangements for the time being not to return to the state but allow their team in their constituency to carry out their groundwork for time being.
He noted that recently there was a post by a member of SDMC asking for fellow Sarawakians in an outbreak area outside Sarawak not to return to Sarawak for the time being.
“This advice should not just be for the normal citizens, but for all, unless we are to say Covid-19 does not affect politicians.
“I believe our people will understand as this move is done to protect and prioritise the health concerns of our people. In the meantime, mere political party meetings in Kuala Lumpur or other high risk areas should not be considered or categorised as ‘essential services’,” he said.
Dr Yii reminded that when coming back from a red zone, it is important to take the necessary safety measures and follow the SOPs, and as public figures, to show an example to others the importance of such the SOPs, and to ensure that there are no double standards.
“That is why myself and fellow DAP MPs decided to take the initiative to self-quarantine the moment we land in Sarawak after Parliament even though we were given ‘exemption’,” he added.
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