Covid-19: Sabah to decide on SOPs for arrivals from China on Jan 4

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Cabinet will make a decision on Wednesday (Jan 4) on Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) for people arriving from China.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor (pic) said an announcement would be made as soon as a decision is reached.

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Speaking to the media on Tuesday (Jan 3) after handing out aid to victims of the Dec 24 king tide at Kampung Tanjung Aru Baru here, he said three houses were completely destroyed while 33 others were damaged.

He said the state government would allocate RM20,000 for the three house owners to rebuild the destroyed homes.

"Those whose houses were damaged will be given RM10,000 for repairs," he said.

On the state government's plan for those whose houses collapsed in the squatter colony of Kampung Forest in east coast Sandakan, Hajiji said it was waiting for a report from the Sandakan disaster management committee.

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"We will then make a decision on the type of aid to be given," he said, adding that some of the victims were being put up at a people's housing project (PPR) for the moment.

Some 110 wooden stilt houses were destroyed, leaving 655 people from 114 families homeless when king tides battered the squatter settlement for three consecutive days from Dec 24.

The victims, who were initially housed at the SK Sg Anib relief centre, were moved to the PPR on Sunday (Jan 1) and have been given until Jan 31 to find new homes.

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Sandakan disaster management committee secretary Abdullah Sabaruddin said 311 of the victims, from 67 families, were Malaysians and had been moved to completed PPR housing in Batu Putih.

The other 344, who are foreigners, are currently living in tents at the Taman Harmoni hall, he said earlier this week.