KOTA KINABALU – A fresh lockdown in Sabah as announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday evening has taken many Sabahans by surprise after anticipating only an extension of the conditional movement control order (CMCO).
Sabah Housing and Real Estate Developers Association (Shareda) president Datuk Chew Shang Hai told The Vibes that he was stunned and speechless over the second coming of the movement control order (MCO) for two weeks from tomorrow.
“We had expected a partial lockdown. The future looks bleak now,” he said.
“This means no work for the next two weeks for certain, with the likelihood of a further extension,” said Chew, adding that the imposition of a total lockdown would be unbearable, even for small businesses.
“How are we developers going to sustain ourselves? Do we have to lay off workers to keep our businesses afloat?” he said, although noting that construction is one of the five essential services allowed to continue operations during the MCO.
Last week, news had circulated that a partial lockdown would be implemented after an unverified police circular on the imposition of a CMCO went viral on social media.
Sabah was already under CMCO, ever since the state elections in September last year, which resulted in a surge of Covid-19 cases.
One report had also stated that the Sabah government was mulling a fresh lockdown, although the implementation of such an order comes under the purview of the National Security Council.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin announced the imposition of a total lockdown in Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Labuan, Melaka, Johor, and Sabah from tomorrow until January 26.
He said the country’s healthcare system is at a breaking point, with 15 hospitals nationwide recording more than 70% occupancy for non-critical patients.
The five essential economic sectors allowed to operate during the MCO are manufacturing, construction, services, trade and distribution, and plantations and commodities.
An essential service small business owner, Nikkie Stephen, told The Vibes that while work will continue, payments and processes will not run as smoothly.
“Essential services for us means work continues as usual, but new SOPs will bog it down,” he said.
“Other departments that handle our claims and other related matters will definitely be slow,” said the small-time contractor.
A local opposition assemblyman, meanwhile, slammed the timing of the total lockdown, saying Putrajaya should have done it after the Sabah elections last year.
Tg Aru Warisan assemblyman Datuk Junz Wong said Sabah has been hit with a double crisis – health and economic – as a result of the failure to foresee what problems could arise if strict measures are not taken.
“The government’s decision to open up the economy as a means to save funds yet not extending aid to households and businesses has proven to be wrong.
“Now, we have to go under another total lockdown, and the Sabah economy has yet to show signs of recovery.
“We are doomed. God save Malaysia and Sabah, in particular, for our government of the day doesn’t seem to care or know what to do,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Gabungan Rakyat Sabah-led state government agrees with the federal government’s decision to impose the MCO. State chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the move is necessary to stop the exponential increase of Covid-19 cases in Sabah.
He urged the public to heed the authorities’ directives and observe SOPs to stop the chain of infection.
Yesterday, 371 new cases were detected in the state, bringing the cumulative number of Covid-19 infections in Sabah to 41,040 cases. One fatality had also been reported last Sunday. – The Vibes, January 12, 2021
