KUCHING: Sarawak will not replicate the Covid-19 outbreak in Sabah should the former hold its state polls in soon time.
Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, in addressing calls from certain parties asking the state government to hold off its intentions to conduct an election, reminded that Sarawak is not part of the current ‘tsunami’ wave of infections taking over the country.
“Interestingly, some Sarawakians were in Sabah recently and returned without taking precautionary testing, but they are now busy making press statements not to have the election in Sarawak for (the next) six months!
“Singapore and South Korea had their respective election without a spike in cases and New Zealand is having an election now.
“Sarawak is not the same as Sabah and we will be similar to Singapore and South Korea,” he said in a Facebook post on Sunday.
Dr Sim also pointed out that there were 293 cases recorded nationwide on Sunday and advised that panic would not help the current situation.
“We just need to learn from others, close the borders and tighten entry policies into Sarawak — even for Sarawakians. What’s best is to not travel outside of Sarawak,” he added.
Dr Sim, who is also State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) high committee member, said SDMC strongly supports the state Health Department in conducting aggressive contact tracing, testing and treatments of Covid-19 patients.
He revealed that Sarawak had tested about one in sixth of the total testing in the whole of Malaysia.
“All Sarawakians, please do your part, play your role and avoid unnecessary non-essential travelling to any high-risk zones outside of Sarawak.”
