KOTA KINABALU – Travel restrictions will be imposed on parts of Sabah’s west coast effective midnight on Wednesday, after Malaysia’s easternmost state recorded a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Putatan will be under the conditional movement control order (CMCO), said Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a statement today.
He said the proposal to subject these districts to such curbs was mooted by the state government.
The CMCO is expected to last until October 16.
Other measures to be implemented include a 6am-6pm limit on opening hours for restaurants, convenience stores, petrol stations and pharmacies.
Dine-in at eateries are prohibited, and all markets, except for daily ones that open from 6am to 2pm, are not allowed to operate.
A maximum of two people can travel together to shop for supplies, and the same number applies to passengers in taxis and e-hailing vehicles.
Further queries can be directed to the state disaster management operations centre at 088-369-434.
Last week, authorities enforced the enhanced movement control order in the districts of Tawau, Semporna, Kunak and Lahad Datu to contain the coronavirus’ spread.
Putrajaya also announced an inter-district travel ban in Sabah, effective October 3 to 16.
Penampang, Putatan, Tuaran and Kota Kinabalu, however, have been placed in the same zone, allowing travel between these areas, but even so, only for workers in essential services, such as food delivery and healthcare, and those with an urgent need to travel.
The state Education Ministry has said some 205 schools in Semporna, Lahad Datu, Tawau, Kunak and Kinabatangan will be closed for up to two weeks.
Sabah registered 126 new coronavirus cases yesterday, taking its tally to 1,206. Most of the infections are in the state’s east coast. – The Vibes, October 5, 2020
