MIRI: The sharp rise in active Covid-19 cases in Sarawak lately is a worrying sign that more effective mitigation and intervention approaches are needed.
During a press conference held in Kuching on Friday, State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said that the committee is looking into tightening enforcement to flatten the Covid-19 curve.
Uggah also said that Sarawak reported a record high of 960 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, which is the highest in the nation.
Given this, members of the public have expressed their worries about the current situation.
All of them said that stricter standard operating procedures (SOPs) are needed, along with tighter enforcement.
They also are of the view that the people should have a higher level of self-discipline and adhere to the SOPs set by the government such as wearing face masks in public, avoiding large crowds, and practising physical distancing.
ANNIE TIONG (Food premises owner)
Stricter SOPs along with a high level of self-discipline among members of the public are needed to keep the pandemic under control in Sarawak.
JENAH SAID (Oil palm planter)
The community must change their mindset and continue following the SOPs set by the government, such as avoiding mass gatherings. Stricter SOPs and tighter enforcement should also be imposed at public places.
SAWING BAJING (Civil servant)
Self-discipline is crucial to ensure the success of the implementation of the SOPs. The current SOPs are sufficient but we need more stringent enforcement.
ROSLIN NIYAK (Student)
We are on the brink of a fourth wave of the coronavirus and to prevent it, we need everyone’s cooperation. We cannot afford to have another lockdown.
ALING LIONG (Food vendor)
What we need to do is get rid of this tidak apa (it does not matter) attitude that many of us have. Think of how another movement control order (MCO) would affect other people.
LEE CHENG CHOI (Food vendor)
I hope we don’t have to go through another lockdown because small businesses need to operate otherwise we would have to close down. We cannot afford another MCO as it would affect our livelihood.
