File photo for illustration purposes
KUCHING: Sarawak has decided not to implement the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) until it has studied the implications it will have on the state, the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) announced today.
“The Sarawak government fully respects the announcement made by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on the need to reopen the economy hence relaxing the MCO effective this Monday, May 4, 2020,” Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said in a statement today.
“However the state government has decided to study the implications of the reopening of such economic activities, which sectors to open, when and to what extent they will be allowed to open.”
Uggah said the SDMC intended to make a decision after it had studied the changes in the regulations under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020 pursuant to the announcement by Muhyiddin.
As such, all current laws under the existing Movement Control Order (MCO) still apply, and businesses and the various economic sectors in the state will stay closed until the study is complete.
He stressed that the SDMC must ensure that the reopening of the economic activities and sectors suited Sarawak’s circumstances.
“Taking into account Sarawak’s local situation in terms of the Covid-19 cases, logistic capability, the capacity of the Health Department and its geographical circumstances, the SDMC has found that many of the standard of compliance of the reopening of the economic activities will not be conducive in the state,” pointed out Uggah.
As such, he said the Sarawak government had decided to keep all the directives to maintain the status quo.
“Therefore, all directives announced under MCO 1, 2 and 3 remain in force for now.”
He, however, said Sarawak would announce in stages the reopening of economic activities and other sectors.
This would be done after the minute details of the standard operating procedures (SOP) and guidelines were studied, he added.
Additionally, Uggah said those who had received approval from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Miti) during the MCO 4 were required to get the Sarawak government’s approval through the SDMC.
He said they could submit their applications to be reviewed by the SDMC before they were allowed to operate.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin announced that under the CMCO, most economic sectors in the country would be allowed to operate from Monday under strict standard operating procedures.
The Movement Control Order was enforced on March 18 and has been extended until May 12.