KUCHING: Express boat services in the Kapit Division were temporarily suspended from Sunday (May 30) until further notice.
The affected routes are Kapit-Putai-Kapit; Sibu-Kapit-Putai- Kapit-Sibu and Kapit-Belaga-Kapit.
Transport Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin said that the Kapit Division Disaster Management Committee had sought the approval from the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) to temporarily suspend the express boat services.
He said that the decision made was indeed very timely to contain the spread of Covid-19 in Kapit Division, especially with the coming Gawai Dayak celebration on June 1.
“With this decision, the Ministry of Transport through its agency, Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB), has issued a riverine notice to all affected owners and operators of the express boats as well as the public on the temporary suspension of the express boat services in Kapit Division from May 30 until further notice.
“Since the people’s safety is of utmost important to us, we trust the temporary suspension of express boat services in Kapit Division will help to further strengthen efforts currently being undertaken by the government to mitigate the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Kapit Division,” he said today.
Lee said that SRB had also reminded express boat owners and operators to comply strictly with the directive issued.
“In tandem with the issuance of the riverine notice, the enforcement officers of SRB in Sibu and Kapit have been directed to closely monitor the on-site situation, particularly in respect to compliance to the directive,” he said.
He reminded that SRB would not hesitate to take action against any express boat owners or operators who went against the directive.
