KOTA KINABALU: The State Government has decided to allow palm oil estates and mill operations in six districts in Sabah to operate during the Movement Control Order (MCO).
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal said that the palm oil estates and mill operations in Tawau, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, Semporna, Kunak and Kalabakan had been allowed to resume operations, subject to certain conditions.
Among the conditions that must be fulfilled are that the premises must be free from positive Covid-19 cases and that there are no persons under investigations (PUIs) working in the premises.
“The workers in the estates and mills must be free from any close contact with Covid-19 patients or PUIs,” said Shafie in a statement yesterday.
He added that the estates and mills must adhere to the operational guidelines that had been prescribed by the State Health Department.
Among the guidelines prescribed were that each premises must appoint a health coordinator and that the premises that do not have an estate clinic must be set up a Covid-19 screening centre.
The premises are also required to designate special working hours for workers who may be more vulnerable to virus and that the workers with travel history must produce health declaration forms.
“However, in the event that there are positive cases or PUIs detected in the estates and mills, or in the event that any of the workers had close contact with these people, the permission to operate will be revoked immediately,” added Shafie.
He assured that that the State Government would be monitoring the situation in the estates and mills in the six areas from time to time.