See Chee How
KUCHING (March 15): Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How has strongly urged the state government and State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) to assert the state’s autonomy in the management and enforcement of Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) enactments with regards public health matters.
See, who is a Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) Presidential Council member, said public health is a subject matter of which the state has concurrent power and authority, as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
“Sarawak is unique and it is not necessary for us to blindly follow the regulatory orders and practices of Putrajaya. For instance, Sarawak has made the decision not to follow the directives of the National Security Council on the re-opening of schools and deviated from the regulations and procedural requirements as regards regulatory quarantine.
“Most recently, the State Ministry of Housing and Local Government has sanctioned the local authorities to issue compound notices of RM1,500 for stricter enforcement on the compliance of Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP), pursuant to the provisions of our Protection of Public Health Ordinance 1999.
“This clearly overlaps with the powers of the federal government under the proclaimed Emergency, who have introduced hefty compound notices to the sum of RM10,000 for the non-compliance of Covid-19 SOP,” he said in a press statement today.
See said the state government should take into consideration the local situations in Sarawak, and the fact that the state has the legislative authority to matters concerning and to protect public health.
“It would be proper that Sarawak be exempted from the issuance and enforcement of the RM10,000 compound notices.”
He said the recent introduction of the RM10,000 compound for Covid-19 SOP offences has caused much misunderstanding and anger amongst the general populace in Sarawak.
“The measure made under the Emergency (Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 has courted controversy, which was further exacerbated by social media postings displaying actual issued compound notices.
“The Inspector General of Police has sought to clarify the issue, and explained that the amount stated is the maximum limit of the fine and the figure ought to be revised according to each individual circumstance.”
Nonetheless, See said PSB Kuching has assembled a legal team of volunteer lawyers to assist those who have been issued such RM10,000 compound for allegedly violating the Covid19 measures.
Their names and corresponding phone contact are Francis Teron (019-8174963); Desmond Kho (012-8871968); Abdul Raaffidin (016-8670078); Simon Siah (019-8370077); David Hii (012-8861923); Chung Jin Kwong (014-3979360); Jeffrey Mok (016-8580918) and Chai Pei Chen (019-8145231)
See said this taskforce will be operating from his Batu Lintang Service Center at No.9, Sg Maong Bazaar here and all administrative queries will be handled by Wong Yie Sing (016-6260133).
Meanwhile, See said it must be stated that the observation of Covid-19 SOP is the responsibility of each and every Sarawakian.
“The subject measures introduced under the Emergency Ordinance are surely to ensure the health and safety of the whole community, and that everyone stays protected from the virus. Further the rules make it possible for businesses to continue operations and make sure that livelihoods remain intact during and after the pandemic.
“Faced with this unprecedented global menace, all Malaysians including Sarawakians are minded that it is necessary to make laws which may restrict the citizens basic rights to life, liberty and property. On the other hand it is equally crucial to ensure that the emergency and preventive procedures enacted are just and the regulatory procedures laid down are fair to prevent arbitrary and unreasonable decisions, be it from the federal or the state government.”
See said it must therefore be stressed in no uncertain terms that this volunteer effort is never to undermine the efforts made by the authorities in controlling the outbreak, but to ensure that due process of law is observed and that Justice prevails in the consideration of each and every purported charge.
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