BINTULU: Visitors are advised to provide police here with their Covid-19 test results. The tests should be conducted up to three days before entering Bintulu, said Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
He said the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) had made it mandatory for visitors to bring their Covid-19 tests with them because of the increased number of Covid-19 cases in the district.
“The people of Bintulu are disturbed by the increasing number of cases, with more than 70 new confirmed cases today alone,” he said in a statement issued today (Mar 28).
“Therefore, I have made recommendations to the SDMC under these circumstances to develop the policy to quickly control entry of persons from other districts or states, be it from a red or green zone,” he added.
Tiong said those who failed to show their polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results to the police would be denied entry and asked to return to the places they came from.
“Alternatively, visitors must be quarantined until a negative test result clears them.
“While we cannot prevent them from coming here to look for work, we must insist on their strict compliance to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and control the flow of job seekers entering and leaving Bintulu.
“Many companies, employees, and their intermediaries have not cooperated or complied fully in following the SOPs. This has been a major challenge for the authorities,” explained the MP.
Tiong said that visitors must produce valid documents when entering Bintulu and if they failed to do so, they would be deported or ordered to undergo compulsory quarantine.
“Many visitors, such as job seekers, will proceed to stay in longhouses, rented houses, at the homes of their relatives or friends, without further Covid-19 testing.
“If this happens and they report for work and test positive for the virus, there will be more lockdowns of residential areas.
“In order to curb the continuing spread of Covid-19, we have no choice but to implement tougher measures. It is necessary to protect the health and safety of Bintulu,” said Tiong.
