MIRI – Foreigners and non-Sarawakians entering the state must apply for entry via the EnterSarawak portal.
This requirement is to facilitate contact tracing should there be positive cases among visitors to the state.
“The state Health Department recently detected a Covid-19 carrier who entered Sarawak from Kuala Lumpur and was found positive in Bintulu after he went to Bakun Dam.
“He had stayed in numerous hotels and places.
“There were cases of illegal migrants who were found positive after they had entered the state.
“They had travelled by bus to various places before they were detected.
“For the safety of all and to ensure easy tracing of close contacts, all non-Sarawakians coming into Sarawak must apply online at EnterSarawak first before they can enter,” the secretariat said in a statement today.
This clears the air on earlier reports that all travellers entering Sarawak need not apply for a permit anymore.
The latest entry procedures, issued last Saturday, had come under fire from opposition parties and a civil society organisation for purportedly discriminating against non-Sarawakians and hindering tourism, The Star reported.
According to the guidelines, only fully vaccinated Sarawakians are exempt from applying for entry via EnterSarawak, as well as non-Sarawakian spouses of Sarawakians, federal civil servants and private sector employees working in the state, and holders of Sarawak’s Malaysia My Second Home visa.
The committee clarified that these procedures is aimed at facilitating entry into the state for Sarawakians and residents, besides reducing the spread of Covid-19.
“We hope everyone will be patient and cooperate with the measures to control the pandemic in Sarawak,” it added.
The state saw another 767 Covid-19 cases and 15 deaths today, with Kuching recording 217 new infections and Miri 148, while other districts saw several dozen cases each.
The latest fatalities involved those aged between 50 and 80 in Sibu, Kuching, Miri, Betong, Sri Aman and Bintulu. – The Vibes, October 20, 2021
