S'wak to implement conditional MCO in stages, says DCM

KUCHING: Sarawak will implement the conditional movement control order (MCO) in stages after studying and refining the Federal Government's standard operating procedures (SOPs) for businesses to resume operations.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah (pic) said the state Disaster Management Committee was still in the first stage of refining the SOPs to suit the local condition.

In the second stage, he said, the committee would familiarise all stakeholders on the SOPs and guidelines to ensure their awareness and preparedness to resume operations.

"Only after that, we would allow the operations to resume, with monitoring and enforcement of the SOPs for green zones, as well as red and yellow zones.

"Once the operations start, we have to make sure there is sufficient manpower to do the monitoring, supervision and enforcement.

"Over 70% of areas are green while others are in the yellow and red zones. We will study what types of operations can start in green areas and those that need to be controlled in red zone," Uggah said during the daily Covid-19 briefing on Tuesday (May 5).

However, he did not give a time frame on when businesses would be able to resume operations.

"We'll see the situation. It's a very dynamic issue," he said.

Uggah also said Sarawak would abide by the conditional MCO but on terms that suited the local situation and prioritised public health.

"We made it clear from the beginning that we are studying the SOPs laid out by Kuala Lumpur and will work towards what is suitable for Sarawak.

"The bottom line is we are putting top priority on public health at the moment. But we will also consider economic issues and the difficulties of the people," he said.

On International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali's statements that state governments were consulted on the conditional MCO during the April 28 National Security Council meeting, Uggah said the SOPs were not ready at the time of the meeting.

"The Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) attended the meeting. That was part of the consultation. But the SOPs were distributed later.

"That's why when it came (on May 2) our immediate response was that we would study the SOPs and find out which ones are suitable for the state," he said.