SIBURAN: The people of Kampung Batu Gong Baru and Kampung Batu Gong Lama here have set up their own Covid-19 disaster committees and control the movements of people in and out of their villages.
Residents of both villages have also been putting up roadblocks in their villages since April 7 and still do today.
According to the chairman of Batu Gong Covid-19 Disaster Committee, Peter Rangkum Joshua, since the start of the movement control order (MCO) period, outsiders were not allowed in.
He said they also prohibited the villagers from going out without any purpose.
“Only those who actually live in the village and those working and have permits are allowed to get in and out of the village,” he said.
In addition, they also keep records of those entering the villages and also checked their body temperatures. Villagers who want to come in but have temperatures above 37.5 degrees Celsius are asked to rest under a canopy at the guardhouse until their temperatures dropped. Those whose temperatures remain high are advised to go to nearby hospitals or clinics.
On the latest ruling that allows four people from the same family to travel in one vehicle, Peter said the need seldom arose at this time when people fear going out, but it would be necessary during an emergency.
He said the MCO or CMCO should be enforced more strictly until there is no more positive case of Covid-19.
“If the MCO is relaxed before that, Covid-19 could still spread and might even be worse than before,” he said.
