KOTA KINABALU – Social media users in Sabah are up in arms over a viral letter purportedly stating that special exemption has been given to the federal rural development minister and his entourage from undertaking the mandatory 14-day quarantine during their visit to the state.
The permission, allegedly endorsed by Sabah Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong, bears the letterhead of his office, which comes under the purview of the Chief Minister’s Department, dated July 9.
The minister, Datuk Abdul Latiff Ahmad, is due to arrive in Sabah today and will stay until July 18.
The letter also caught the eye of Warisan deputy president Datuk Junz Wong, who said that the Sabah government should put prioritise the welfare of its people and instead, ask the minister to postpone his visit.
He cited the spike in Covid-19 cases in Sabah in the aftermath of the state election in September last year.
“The fact is that, before, many from Peninsular Malaysia came over to Sabah to campaign without complying with the quarantine SOP.
“The Sabah numbers then were very low and the state had already partially reopened to tourism, while businesses and factories were all operating safely then.
“But after the election, the numbers got out of control in Sabah, and politicians from Peninsular Malaysia have the cheek to blame Sabah for the Covid-19 situation in Malaysia,” he said.
Wong said he believes the minister's visit will cause another spike in infections in the state and advised the entourage to undergo the 14-day quarantine.
“I’m just worried that this trip (though noble) might bring the Kuala Lumpur clusters over to Sabah’s many interior areas, said Wong.
One Sabah netizen going only by the name Michael, said, “No one should be above the law”, as he questioned the preferential treatment given to the minister.
“If (it was) a regular person and (their) family, they will definitely never get such treatment,” he said.
Meanwhile, Latiff has postponed his visit to Sabah, according to local daily Borneo Post.
The purpose of the visit is unknown, as Sabah Rural Development Minister Datuk Jahid Jahim, when contacted through his press secretary, said he is not aware of the delegation’s visit.
In the statement from Latiff’s office, the postponement is due to the recent five-figure spike in Covid-19 cases nationwide over the past 24 hours. – The Vibes, July 14, 2021
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