KUCHING: Malaysians entering Sarawak from Malaya, Sabah and Labuan will not have to undergo quarantine effective September 1.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said they would however be required to fill in the E-Health Declaration Form (E-HDF).
Uggah, who is chairman of the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee announced the new procedures for entries into the state at the SDMC Covid-19 update press conference on Friday.
He also said that Malaysians including Sarawakians, returning from overseas would have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine at quarantine centres prepared by the state government, in addition to undergoing two Covid-19 tests – on Day 2 and Day 10 respectively.
“The cost of quarantine and Covid-19 tests for Sarawakians will be borne by the state government while non-Sarawakians (from West Malaysia, Sabah, Labuan, and non-Malaysians) will have to pay for their own quarantine and Covid-19 test costs,” he said.
He noted that in the last few weeks, a number of individuals entering the state from overseas had requested to leave the quarantine centre prior to the scheduled end of their 14-day quarantine period.
He stressed the importance of those returning from overseas in undergoing the compulsory 14-day quarantine, pointing out the numerous imported Covid-19 cases reported.
“Imagine if we had let these cases out into the public earlier after just the first test,” he said, appealing to those returning to Sarawak from overseas to bear with these conditions to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Meanwhile, he said that all entries into Sarawak via air, land, or sea will be subject to random Covid-19 testing.
“We are looking at ten percent, so for instance if 100 individuals enter, we will take ten samples,” he explained.
