Labuan to be under conditional MCO from Oct 17-30, says Ismail Sabri

PUTRAJAYA: Labuan will be under a conditional movement control order (MCO) from Oct 17 following a spike in Covid-19 positive cases on the island, says Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The 14-day order will last until Oct 30, but with permission given to all economic activities such as industry, manufacturing and businesses to operate.

He said that movement within the island will be allowed but inter-state travelling will not be allowed unless there is police approval.

“The Labuan airport will remain open but any form of travelling will require police clearance, ” he said in his regular Covid-19 briefing on Thursday (Oct 15).

Ferry and speedboat services will be allowed to operate only until 6pm with limited capacity after taking social distancing and other standard operating procedures (SOPs) into consideration, while water taxi services can only serve passengers from 6am to 6pm.

Ismail said existing SOPs for sign-in and sign-off for those in the shipping, and oil and gas sectors, will remain.

“However, for crew members who want to sign off but their vessels have travelled to other ports in Sabah, they will have to take a swab test and be quarantined for 14 days.

“This is necessary because Sabah has been categorised as a red zone, ” he said.

Shops, restaurants and food outlets as well as petrol stations in Labuan are allowed to operate from 6am to 10pm.

Clinics and hospitals can remain open around the clock while pharmacies and drug stores’ operating hours are from 8am to 10pm.

The construction sector is also allowed to operate from 8am to 6pm with the condition that its workers be screened to ensure they are free from Covid-19.

Schools, kindergartens, nurseries, daycare centres, entertainment outlets and indoor playgrounds are to remain closed.