KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's move to do away with the quarantine requirement is only for Malaysians working in the state, says state secretary Datuk Datuk Safar Untong.
He said it was only for government servants and private sector workers from Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Labuan.
"The requirement is not for social visits and not tourism purposes (as yet)," he said on Wednesday (June 3) when asked about the decision of the state government to allow Malaysians to come into Sabah without the need to undergo the mandatory two-week quarantine.
On Tuesday (June 2), Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said all Malaysians, including Sabahans, entering the state would not have to undergo quarantine.
But they are required to undergo the Covid-19 test three days before coming into the state either by air, sea or land.
Those who have been tested negative will be allowed into the state without the requirement to undergo quarantine.
He said Malaysians and foreigners working in Sabah, however, would have to produce valid work passes or other valid documents of employment on arrival in the state.
In a statement on Wednesday, Sabah Health Department director Datuk Dr Christina Rundi said that her department had been receiving many queries about the requirement for obtaining the Covid-19 tests, as well as endorsement of the Health Ministry.
She said that the state health department requires the rt-PCR test for Covid-19, and the results be obtained from a laboratory three to seven days before arriving in the state.
Dr Rundi said that on arrival in Sabah, all passengers must fill in a medical declaration form. It should be done honestly.
"Passengers will then be screened by medical personnel, and if the assessment finds no symptoms of Covid-19 and together with their negative laboratory test results for Covid-19, they will be allowed in without the need for quarantine," she said.
However, for those who arrive without the Covid-19 laboratory test results, she said they would be placed at quarantine centres pending the test results.
"We need the cooperation of everyone to ensure that Covid-19 does not spread in the state," she added.
Dr Rundi said that Covid-19 remains under control in Sabah, but the threat remains.
As of Tuesday, she said there were 348 cases with one new case detected from a person who was returning from Beaufort to Labuan for work purposes.
The patient is being treated at the Labuan hospital and they are currently investigating the source of the infection.
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