Only three Kapit-Sibu express boat trips available

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A passenger arriving from Putai, Ulu Baleh has her temperature checked.

KAPIT: Only three Kapit-Sibu express boat trips were available yesterday compared to the usual extra trips available after Gawai Dayak.

Although the first boat could take 106 passengers, there were just 51 passengers headed for Sibu at 6.40am due to social distancing requirements.

This was followed by a second Kapit-Sibu service at 10.30am and the final trip at 11.30am.

The last boat had earlier picked up passengers from Putai, Ulu Baleh, before arriving here for the 11.30am departure to Sibu.

All public boat services are only allowed half their capacity and are required to be sanitised after each trip.

During normal days before the Movement Control Order and subsequent Conditional Movement Control Order, up to 15 Kapit-Sibu trips were approved per day.

Due to the CMCO, passengers must have an inter-district police permit before they can purchase express boat tickets.

This has significantly reduced the number of passengers.

Meanwhile, the Health Department and Sarawak Rivers Board have set up counters to screen and register all passengers coming into or leaving Kapit as part of measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

All passengers are required to have their temperature taken and give details of their personal data including health and travel history over the past fortnight.

To date Kapit is still a green zone free of Covid-19 cases.

Those arriving here by road also need to produce police permits, have their temperature taken, and provide details of their health and travel history.