KUCHING: All business premises throughout Sarawak will not be allowed to operate from 7pm to 7am effective tomorrow.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the directive was necessary to stop public movement which was still heavy in certain places. This is meant to help stem the spread of Covid-19 following the increase in positive cases in the state.
Uggah said the State Disaster Management Committee, which he chairs, made the decision during its meeting yesterday. The order will be enforced till March 31.
“All hypermarkets, supermarkets, markets, coffee shops, private clinics, restaurants, 24-hour convenience stores and petrol stations will have to close their operations from 7pm to 7am daily,” he said in a statement.
However, the order will not affect all those helping in enforcement operations like the police, military, medical workers and immigration officers.
“The new requirement is another strategy of the committee to stop further transmission of Covid-19,” he said.
In addition, all supermarkets, hypermarkets, markets, pharmacies and private clinics are now required to do social distancing in their respective premises, and the owners are advised to do temperature checks on their customers and to provide hand sanitisers.
Uggah said the police would check the enforcement of the order randomly.
