SAMARAHAN: The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) will deliberate on the federal government’s decision to allow two individuals to travel per vehicle during the movement control order’s (MCO) fourth phase, which began yesterday.
During a site visit to active case detection programme locations in Kota Samarahan yesterday, Deputy Chief Minister and SDMC chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said he had not viewed the official statement yet at the time.
“Tomorrow (today, April 30), the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) will have a meeting and we have experts (who can share their thoughts on this). Let us deliberate on the matter,” he said.
At the moment, he said the two-per-vehicle rule in Sarawak was only permitted for farmers heading to their farms during the MCO.
Earlier yesterday, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the change in ruling which would now allow two to travel per vehicle.
According to him, the rule was changed upon receiving feedback from the public and many requests to permit more than one person to travel per vehicle during the MCO.
However, he said the condition was that the two individuals had to be immediate family members and living under the same roof.
“They must be people from one family living in the same house and the movement is to buy food and daily essential items.
“The Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within Infected Local Areas) (No. 4) Regulations 2020 has been gazetted and enforced from April 29, 2020 until May 12, 2020,” Ismail Sabri said in a press conference on the MCO yesterday.
According to the latest federal gazette under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within Infected Local Areas) (No. 4) Regulations 2020 published in the Attorney General’s Chambers website Wednesday, the conditions for movement in seeking healthcare or medical services also allow the person to be accompanied by any other person deemed to be reasonably necessary.
The gazette signed by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba stated that the Regulation is effective for the period from April 29 until May 12.
The list of essential services in the updated Regulations remains the same at 15 items.
A restriction on movement within 10km radius for daily necessities such as food, medicine and dietary supplements as well as to seek healthcare and medical service still remains.
Previously, only the household head was allowed to go out to buy food and daily essential items.
Permission for the movement is now for the purpose of buying daily essentials or to seek healthcare or medical services outside a 10-kilometre radius if the items or services are not available within 10 km of the individual’s home.
Ismail Sabri said several more leeways made to the current MCO would be announced soon.
