The Sarawak government has announced that the state will not implement the Conditional Movement Control Order (MCO) that was issued by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday on 1 May 2020. The state government explained it must conduct further studies of its implications to the state before proceeding with the new ruling.
“The Sarawak government fully respects the announcement made by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on the need to reopen the economy, hence relaxing the MCO effective this Monday, May 4, 2020,” said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah in a statement issued earlier today. “However, the state government has decided to study the implications of the reopening of such economic activities, which sectors to open, when and to what extent they will be allowed to open.”
As a result, the east state will still uphold all existing MCO restrictions for the time being. Therefore, businesses and various economic sectors will not be allowed to open, and public movement and activities will remain restricted until the study is complete.
“Taking into account Sarawak’s local situation in terms of the Covid-19 cases, logistic capability, the capacity of the Health Department and its geographical circumstances, the SDMC has found that many of the standard of compliance of the reopening of the economic activities will not be conducive in the state,” stated Uggah.
Datuk Amar Douglas explained that the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) must ensure that the reopening of the economic activities and sectors suited the state’s circumstances. The Sarawak government will announce the reopening of economic activities and other sectors in stages once the decision is made, he added.
Additionally, the Deputy Chief Minister is also urging those who had received approval from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) during Phase 4 of the MCO 4 are required to get the state government’s approval via the SDMC.
(Source: SDMC press release / Borneo Post | Header image: Wikimedia)
