KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing has urged the relevant ministry and agencies to take action against express boat operators, including the passengers, for blatantly defying the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in fighting Covid-19 pandemic in Kapit.
He said they had clearly defied the rulings set by the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) despite the spiking of Covid-19 infections in the division.
Masing, who is also Baleh assemblyman, was commenting in reference to a video showing passengers disembarking from express boats at the Kapit wharf.
He said based on the video, which he confirmed was shot in Kapit yesterday, social distancing was not considered as passengers got out of the boat.
The video also showed that some of the passengers were not even wearing their face masks.
Masing said unless the relevant ministries and agencies took the threat of Covid-19 seriously, the rural folks in Kapit during this coming Gawai would face the effect of this deadly virus.
He cautioned that “If this defiance of SDMC rulings persisted, the relevant ministry must put a stop to all express boats plying our rivers during the spiking of Covid-19!
“It’s better be safe than sorry later.”
