KUCHING – As Sibu and Kuching reel from a spike in locally transmitted Covid-19 cases, the State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) declared both these districts as red zones late this evening.
In a statement today, SDMC said Sibu recorded a total of 44 local infections and Kuching 41 cases.
In an immediate response, politicians called for a total lockdown of the state’s borders.
Sibu assemblywoman Irene Chang told The Vibes that the city’s tally yesterday of 37 infections is just waiting to explode and become bigger.
“And it happened today due to the ‘bad policy’ of the SDMC to allow returnees to be quarantined at home during the early days of the MCO,” she said.
“It is too late now to look back at this mistake already made. So let us all work together to help turn the critical situation around.
“Swab tests of the dwellers from the affected Sibu longhouses are yet to be completed, and until all the results are obtained we do not know how bad the situation actually is,” she said.
Chang also said that the SDMC has to make some bold decisions as to whether or not to implement a total lockdown in Sibu and Kuching, and also stop all outgoing and incoming flights at both these districts.
Meanwhile, Parti Aspirasi Sarawak president Lina Soo told The Vibes that the borders must be blocked and affected districts put under total lockdown.
She also said non-Sarawakians should not be allowed to fly into the state and Sarawakians must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine period.
‘All Sarawakians must not be allowed to leave the state and Sarawakians returning to the state must be ordered to pay half the cost for quarantine,” she said.
Soo also asserted that all teachers from West Malaysia must be temporarily banned from entering the state and all schools be closed.
She also called for the vaccination programme to be rolled out quickly.
Parti Bumi Kenyalang president Voon Lee Shan echoed the same thoughts, calling for a lockdown.
“There should be an immediate lockdown! Total lockdown should not be for a brief period but must be done until the Covid-19 virus is fully wiped out. Life is too precious and we cannot be complacent,” he said.
He also pointed out that the government should not take things easy or practice double standards like in the past when politicians and certain personalities could flout the law without any criminal charges until public outcry rises against them.
“The court should also impose sentences against politicians and VIPs without fear and favour,” he added. – The Vibes, January 10, 2021
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