SIBU: Controlling the movement of people under conditional movement control order (CMCO) is a huge challenge for authorities, says Sibu OCPD ACP Stanley Jonathan Ringgit.
“Controlling longhouses subject to CMCO is much more difficult than controlling private homes.
“It is easier for authorities to track the movement of occupants of private homes.”
ACP Stanley explained that it was difficult to deal with the spread of infection involving longhouse residents as they live in close proximity to one another.
During a meeting with the Sibu Divisional Disaster Management Committee, he brought up the problem faced in enforcing CMCO in longhouses.
“Enforcement officers are unable to monitor the movement of residents from one end of the longhouse to the other.
“Members on duty are only posted to guard the longhouse entrances; they do not enter any bilik (a residential unit in a longhouse) to observe the occupants.
“They can’t see what’s going on inside every bilik or what’s going on behind.”
He urged longhouse residents to help break the chain of infections by following standard operating procedure (SOP) guidelines at all times and not wait for instructions from the authorities.
When asked about the roadblocks, he said the police would ensure that the public complied with cross-district travel SOP such as having a police permit.
“So far, the situation at roadblocks that we have set up is smooth. However, we will tighten further during the festive season.”
