James Masing
KUCHING (June 25): Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing has voiced concern that the more infectious Delta Covid-19 variant could be brought into the state by illegal immigrants.
He said his concern was based on a news report that Covid-19 cases involving the Delta variant have emerged in Java, Indonesia.
“It was reported in the news portal Nikkei Asia on June 18, 2021 that Java is imposing regional lockdowns as its hospitals just cannot cope (with the increase in Covid-19 cases).
“On June 17, a total of 12,624 new cases were detected in central Java and out of these, 107 were of the Delta variant from India which is more infectious and dangerous. A week before the Delta variant struck, there were only 32 cases,” he said.
He said the Malaysian Armed Forces, General Operations Force and Immigration Department, who are tasked with securing the country’s border with Indonesia, had reported that illegal immigrants were making their way back into Sarawak via the hundreds of illegal border crossing points, after just two to three days of being deported.
According to him, some of these repeat offenders are from Java and the neighbouring islands where the Delta variant is found, adding they could be carriers of this deadly variant into Sarawak.
In this regard, Masing expressed regret that his idea of having fences built along the border had been shot down by opposition politicians and the public.
“My suggestion of building fences at some strategic places along our border because of the danger posed by Covid-19 was scoffed at by the opposition and netizens,” he said.
He said he has already asked the state’s integrated security forces to be on high alert, while praising them for their dedication in securing the border these past few months.
“However, it is not an easy task. We are giving the border forces, the army in particular, scramblers, drones and telecommunication facilities but the infiltration by illegal immigrants still continues.
“This is because the location of illegal entry points changes every second day once they are detected,” he explained.