STATES POSTPONE, CANCEL EVENTS
Governments gear up to mitigate impact of Covid-19 outbreak with travel bans and delay of gatherings
SEVERAL state governments have rolled out precautionary measures apart from postponing or cancelling events involving large crowds to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Penang government announced yesterday that civil servants in the state have been barred from travelling overseas in light of the spike in Covid-19 cases nationwide.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the directive barring civil servants from travelling overseas was issued by the state secretary on Friday.
“Due to the increasing cases, the state government has decided to postpone and cancel programmes and activities that we have planned.”
Prior to this, the state government had announced the postponement of the payment programme to senior citizens under the Senior Citizens Appreciation Programme.
Of the total 191,858 recipients aged 60 and above, only 34,523 recipients have registered for the Electronic Funds Transfer services, while the rest will line up to collect the cash.
Due to the outbreak, the state government had decided to postpone the payment programme to those lining up to collect the payment in cash.
In Alor Star, Bernama reported that Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir will chair a meeting tomorrow to check on the development and the impact of Covid-19 on the state’s economy.
The meeting, said Mukhriz, would be attended by state department heads and representatives from districts, as well as representatives from both sides of the political divide.
Mukhriz said the state legislative assembly sitting on March 23 would proceed.
Perlis is expected to announce its status on the outbreak.
This was confirmed by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man when he was asked to comment on an infographic suggesting that there was one case in the state.
In Kuantan, PahangMenteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail announced that the state’s Disaster Management Committee would convene a meeting to discuss Covid-19 and the status of programmes in the state.
State Secretary Datuk Seri Dr Sallehuddin Ishak will chair the meeting, which will be attended by representatives from several agencies, including the health department.
Wan Rosdy announced that the University College Yayasan Pahang’s convocation, along with its 28th anniversary in Gambang today and the Pahang Invest Festival scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur between April 9 and 12, have been called off.
In Kota Kinabalu, the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu has suspended masses and activities in parishes until April 1.
The suspension includes meetings, catechism classes, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults sessions, Penitential services, and Stations of the Cross on Friday during Lent.
The Sarawak government on Friday announced the postponement of major events, including the Rainforest World Music Festival in July.
Sarawak Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the postponements were made following the advisory issued by the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee.
Karim said other events affected by the postponements included the Spartan Race in April and 30 business events.
The Youth and Sports Ministry has instructed gatherings, programmes and events it has organised or approved, as well as those undertaken by its agencies, to be postponed or cancelled until April 30.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, yesterday said the directive would be revisited once there is an improvement in the Covid-19 situation.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday announced that the government had banned gatherings to prevent a worsening of the Covid-19 outbreak.