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State govt to help Immigration Dept with temporary isolation blocks

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Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg (third right) listen to the briefing by representative from JKR, while Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas (second right), Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian (right), and Datuk Amar Jaul Samion (left) looks on.

KUCHING: The Sarawak government has agreed to help the state Immigration Department set up temporary isolation blocks at the Semuja Immigration Detention Depot to allow physical distancing among the detainees in order to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg was told that currently, the detention depot had eight blocks with each block containing about 75 detainees.

“Without Covid-19, I think it is still alright, but during this pandemic, the blocks are too crowded, and we want to enhance this place to make it less crowded.

“That is why, today I have agreed on the setting up of additional temporary isolation blocks mainly for quarantine,” he told a press conference after attending the briefing at the detention depot here on Monday (Mar 22).

He said the temporary isolation blocks would be put up at the empty space in the vicinity of the detention depot.

“I believe this will be able to mitigate the transmission of the virus in this area.

“We cannot wait anymore. Therefore, the state government will help the Immigration Department set up the temporary blocks,” he said.

The chief minister said that he did not mind assisting because it was for the safety of all Sarawakians.

“I hope with this, we will be able to reduce the Covid-19 positive cases in Sarawak, and hope that the people will continue to comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs).”

Asked about the costs of the temporary isolation blocks, Abang Johari said he would leave it to the Public Works Department (JKR) to assess them.

“What is important is that the isolation blocks will be put up for the detainees, and there must be physical distancing among them,” he said.

Datuk Ken Leben gives a briefing on the SOPs implemented at the Semuja Immigration Detention Depot.

Earlier, the chief minister paid a visit to the detention depot to see for himself what had caused positive cases among the detainees and led to a spike in the Covid-19 cases in the state.

He was briefed by Sarawak Immigration director Datuk Ken Leben on the SOPs implemented at the detention depot and by Serian Hospital medical officer Dr Ahmad Zhafir Zulkfli on the update of the active case detection (ACD) at the detention depot.

Among those present were Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to East Asia, Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem, Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian, Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research (MESTR) Datuk Amar Michael Manyin Jawong, State Secretary Datuk Amar Jaul Samion, Deputy State Secretary Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik, Bukit Semuja assemblyman John Ilus, and State Health Department (JKNS) director Dr Chin Zin Hing, and Sarawak Prisons director Mohamad Rosidek Musa.

On Mar 18, Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said a new cluster named Semuja Immigration Depot Cluster has been identified by the State Health Department.

The cluster was detected when the Serian Division Health Department screened Immigration Department staff and detainees at the depot after receiving information on a positive case among the illegal immigrants deported through the Tebedu checkpoint, Sarawak-Kalimantan border, on March 11.

On Saturday (Mar 20), Uggah said as of Mar 20, a total of 704 individuals have been screened with 245 of them tested positive and are all involving detainees, while a total of 459 individuals who are staff of the Immigration Department and close contacts have been tested negative.

So far there are no additional positive cases from the Semuja Immigration Depot Cluster.

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