KUCHING: The Sarawak government will pump in RM81 million for the operations of the Sarawak Disaster management Committee (SDMC) from January to June this year.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the money was approved by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg from state coffers.
“This allocation includes the cost of setting up a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rT-PCR) laboratory in Kapit as per the Kapit Division Health Department’s request in view of a number of Covid-19 cases in the district.
“As the samples of the cases would take a long time to process, they have requested for the RT-PCR laboratory like the ones we have set up in Limbang,” Uggah said at SDMC’s Covid-19 daily update press conference today.
Uggah, who is also SDMC chairman, said Sarawak is doing its very best by providing the funds in the effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
He hoped the funds would enable the state to provide quarantine facilities, set up quarantine and low-risk patient treatment centres (PKRS) and provide rT-PCR laboratories.
“In other words, the Sarawak government wants to ensure that SDMC is supplied with everything needed to provide the best service to the people,” he said.
He called upon the public to cooperate with the government in the fight against Covid-19.
“Funding alone is not enough, even though we add more rT-PCR labs, hotels and quarantine centres. In order for us to succeed, we need the cooperation from everyone.
“Please cooperate with us. This is for the benefit of you, your family and the entire people of Sarawak,” he said.
