KUCHING: Simply implementing the movement control order (MCO) in Sarawak will burden many industries and destroy the livelihoods of many, said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He pointed out that, however, drastic measures still had to be taken to cut the chain of infection.
“This is because our limited healthcare resources and manpower are reaching fatigue level,” he added.
Abang Johari said this during a press conference on the enforcement of the Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) at his office at Wisma Bapa Malaysia on Monday (April 19).
The chief minister said that there had also been heated debates on imposing MCO versus conditional movement control order (CMCO) lately.
“I assure you that the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) has done its evaluation on the ground.
“And SDMC had explained that during its experience with the MCO in Sibu, it was bogged down by a number of enforcement issues,” he said.
Abang Johari said action had also been taken to implement targeted enhanced movement control order (TEMCO) as well as tightening inter-district travel to curb the Covid-19 spread.
“After factoring all the concerns and risk assessment, SDMC has decided to maintain its effort to carry out TEMCO operations in targeted areas.
“This had proven successful in containing the spread of Covid-19 in the longhouses, neighbourhoods and workplaces,” he said.
Following the rise in Covid-19 positive cases in the state, the CMCO implementation in Sarawak has been extended for two weeks from April 13 to 26.
