KUCHING: Pakan assemblyman Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom has urged that Covid-19 quarantine not be carried out in longhouses.
In a statement, he said that even quarantined in their respective rooms, the potential of transmission is still there when not monitored by the Ministry of Health (MOH).
“The mandatory quarantine must continue for those who are from outside of Sarawak, either natives themselves or vice versa. The MOH as well as the authorities must be firm in this matter and more quarantine centres are needed at this time.
“The longhouse clusters are difficult to control when they start to spread because the rural population has a wide and unique pattern of movement that must be understood,” he said.
Mawan added that everyone must continue to work with the government, especially health workers and law enforcement, to ensure that the new norms and standard operating procedure (SOP) are adhered to in order to break the transmission chain.
“Every individual must have a high degree of assertiveness and awareness for self-discipline in practising the new norms. We must comply with the SOP so that the existence of new clusters that increases the number of positive cases can be avoided.
“The people of Sarawak, regardless of rank or race, must be vigilant and follow the guidelines set by the MOH such as frequently washing your hands and wearing face mask in public.”
He also said that everyone must remind one another and the community to comply with all SOPs set by the MOH.
