Dr Abdul Rahman (third left) with Paulus (left), Dr Nathakumar (third right) and Ahmad Denney (right) during the handover of face masks at Limbang Hospital.
LIMBANG: The land routes connecting Sarawak and Brunei can be used to refer emergency medical cases to Miri Hospital – thanks to the ongoing good relations between the Malaysian government and the sultanate.
According to Assistant Minister of Agriculture Native Land and Regional Development Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, during the current Covid-19 pandemic patients from this division would be sent to Miri Hospital through this Sarawak-Brunei land routes.
“Patients seeking further treatment (at Miri Hospital) can go through Brunei, but they need to follow stringent procedures.
“On this, the state government will communicate with Brunei, on bilateral relations through Wisma Putra, and our (Malaysian) Embassy; so far, we have not encountered any problem,” he said when met by reporters after handing over face masks to the staff of Limbang Hospital yesterday.
With him were Batu Danau assemblyman Paulus Palu Gumbang, Limbang Resident Ahmad Denney Ahmad Fauzi and Limbang Hospital director Dr Nanthakumar Thirunavukkarasu.
Dr Abdul Rahman, who is Bukit Kota assemblyman, also pointed out that Brunei had given Sarawak the permission and freedom to bring in food items to Limbang past the border posts, and vice versa.
Meanwhile, the assistant minister said 10,000 pieces of face masks had been distributed to the frontliners here, and another 10,000 to those in Lawas.
“Of that amount, 5,000 pieces of masks are distributed to the Health offices for the current needs in battling Covid-19.
“The supply of face masks is among the state government’s efforts in assisting the frontliners, as announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, who had ordered two million face masks for Sarawak.”
Dr Abdul Rahman said the free face masks would be distributed throughout the state, including the rural areas, through the State Disaster Management Committee.
According to him, this division requires at least 260,000 face masks.
Limbang has recorded four positive Covid-19 cases, while Lawas has one.