Residents joyful as Strict Movement Control ends

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PPR Taman Harmoni

SANDAKAN: Residents at Taman Harmoni People’s Housing Project (PPR) Mile 3 cheered in joy after the three-week Strict Movement Control ended at 12am yesterday.

Taman Harmoni was categorised as a red zone in Sandakan after five positive Covid-19 cases were recorded from the area.

During the period, residents were not allowed to leave their apartments, while outsiders were also not allowed in. Police personnel had guarded the entrance gate round the clock to ensure that the instructions were obeyed.

Once the Strict Movement Control was called in the area, the residents had undergone screening and those with symptoms were sent to PPR Pasir Putih quarantine centre.

For the past three weeks, PPR Taman Harmoni had had a temporary market set up inside the apartment’s compound. It also had a temporary health clinic for those who needed to get medical treatment.

A truck was also prepared for those who needed to go to the bank. It was reported that a Malaysian Civil Defence Force truck was used, and few trips of maximum 30 residents were allowed to go to a bank in Midtown, Mile 3.

During this period, residents had received dry food assistance from the Welfare Department on the first week of Strict Movement Control implementation.

The Strict Movement Control had caused many to suffer where some mothers had to be away from their children, some unable to tend to their old parents outside the apartment, and there was one owner who had to leave his goats wandering around Mile 3 Sandakan because he could not go out from PPR Taman Harmoni to get the herd back to their cage.

One of the residents in PPR Taman Harmoni said she was relieved to finally be able to leave the apartment to get essentials for baking and cooking.

Even though everyone still needs to obey the Movement Control Order (MCO), she said that she feels as being let out of jail when she is able to get groceries and other essentials outside of the apartment.

Meanwhile, Elopura assemblyman Calvin Chong Ket Kiun reminded the residents not to go out without purpose because they still need to obey the MCO.

He said they must still keep a safe distance between one another, and wear face mask when going out so that all the efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19 would not go to waste.

Chong also urged the local authority to instruct its personnel to conduct disinfection process in housing areas, especially PPR to ensure that the local community are free from the virus.

“The local community must always keep their homes clean. The fight against Covid-19 is a long-term process that needs full cooperation from all parties,” he said.