DCM: M'sians travelling to Sarawak must undergo Covid-19 test from June 9

KUCHING: Effective June 9, all Malaysians travelling to Sarawak will have to undergo a Covid-19 test before entering the state, says Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.

The Deputy Chief Minister said they must take the polymerase chain reaction test (PCR) in their respective locations or states three days before their entry into Sarawak.

He said this applied to all Malaysians travelling by air, land and sea into Sarawak, including civil servants who are currently in the peninsula, Sabah or Labuan.

Uggah also said Malaysians who had a travel history from overseas and had undergone quarantine in the peninsula were required to show their release order from the Health Ministry and a negative test result for Covid-19 before being allowed to enter Sarawak.

For Malaysians who had travelled overseas and had not been quarantined or transited through KL International Airport to Sarawak, they must undergo 14 days' compulsory quarantine in hotels upon arriving in the state.

"The cost of their stay will be fully borne by the state government," Uggah said at the state disaster management committee's daily Covid-19 briefing here on Wednesday (June 3).

He also announced that childcare centres in Sarawak would be allowed to reopen starting June 9, in compliance with standard operating procedures (SOP) drawn up by the state Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Ministry.

"The SOP will be released in a day or two. We take note of the Federal SOP but the state ministry has finalised its SOP.

"Now they are going to engage all the operators of childcare centres to explain the SOP," he said.

In addition, Uggah said the committee was finetuning the SOP for the reopening of recreational areas, hair salons, gyms and fitness centres and photo studios.

"This is in line with the continuing downward trend of Covid-19 cases in Sarawak," he said, adding that the SOP would be announced shortly.

Sarawak reported no new cases for a seventh consecutive day on Wednesday (June 3), with the tally of confirmed cases remaining at 552.

The recovery rate rose to 94.2% after one more patient was discharged from the Sarawak General Hospital here, bringing the number of recoveries to 520.

However, Uggah reminded the public not to be complacent but to remain vigilant.

"Although it is seven consecutive days with no positive cases and the curve has flattened, I urge Sarawakians to continue cooperating as we have been doing to ensure that the chain of transmission can be broken.

"I must also record my appreciation for the cooperation and understanding of everyone in Sarawak. This achievement is a result of concerted efforts from everyone," he said.