KUCHING: Sarawak needs to tighten its borders to preventing foreigners from entering illegally during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing said stringent controls should be implemented at rat trails, and the Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security Complex (CIQS).
“We do not want illegal immigrants to enter Sarawak because the risk of them carrying the Covid-19 virus is very high.
“What we fear is that illegal immigrants may be carrying Covid-19,” he said.
In this regard, he wanted the federal government to assist the state government in resolving the issue.
Masing predicted that the Covid-19 outbreak would reach its peak in West Kalimantan.
Therefore, he said Sarawak should take precautionary measures by tightening control along its borders.
Yesterday, West Kalimantan governor Sutarmidji announced the addition of 28 positive Covid-19 cases in West Kalimantan, and one of them was a resident of Lapu Kapuas in Sanggau District.
The increase brought the number to 168 people being diagnosed with Covid-19 in West Kalimantan so far.
The Indonesian Health Ministry announced 526 new confirmed Covid-19 cases last Sunday, bringing the total number of infections nationwide to 22,271.
The ministry’s disease control and prevention director general, Achmad Yurianto, added that 21 more people had died of the disease, bringing the death toll to 1,372.
