KUCHING: The standard operating procedures (SOPs) for gatherings in villages and longhouses will be released to the public soon.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the Council for Native Customs and Tradition (Majlis Adat Istiadat or Mais) will release the detailed guideline.
“Today we have Ronnie Edward, the director of Mais with us (in the SDMC meeting), and they will come out with the detailed SOP,” he said during the SDMC Covid-19 update press conference on Saturday (Jan 16).
Uggah also stressed that village chiefs and community leaders play an important role in curbing the spread of Covid-19, especially among the villagers.
“We want them (village chiefs and community leaders) to take part in playing a very important role in the longhouse by monitoring the safety, wellbeing and health of the villagers,” he said.
He said if any of the villagers are experiencing symptoms of the disease, they should immediately be reported to the respective Health Departments or the nearest hospitals to get screened.
“Also villagers have the right to report any suspected illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries who are near to their villages, especially those located near the Indonesian borders, to the authorities,” he said.
Uggah stressed that villagers also have the right to ban the entry of visitors whom they do not know.
“My advice to the general public is to continue to observe the SOP, especially for Sibu, which is placed under the movement control order (MCO) and other divisions which will be placed under conditional movement control order (CMCO) (on Jan 18),” he said.
