Sabah's business communities hope no full lockdown to curb spread of Covid-19

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's business communities are keeping their fingers crossed that there will be no total lockdown to contain the surge in Covid-19 cases in the state.

"It will be a nightmare for us if there is a full MCO that is like the one enforced in March last year," Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Datuk Michael Liu said on Sunday (Jan 10).

He said since the relaxation of MCO in June last year, business was picking up in most areas but sadly, the Covid-19 cases in the state was also seeing an increase in numbers.

"It will be very difficult to survive if it is a full lockdown," he said.

However, he said that tightening of standard operating procedures (SOP) and other actions to avoid crowds gathering to check the spread of the virus would be acceptable.

"We hope businesses will be allowed to operate as usual," he said, hoping that the current conditional MCO is retained and not replaced with a full MCO.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin is expected to announce new measures on Monday (Jan 11) to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

State officials are indicating that the new measures would see a ban on social gatherings and recreational activities are expected but it would be short of a full lockdown.

Sabah’s Covid-19 cases spiked after the Sept 26 state elections that triggered the nation's third wave. Sabah recorded over 400 cases daily over the last two days.

A state minister and two assistant ministers also tested positive and undergoing treatment at hospitals in the state.

Many others are also under self-quarantine following the year-end holidays.