No ‘ngabang’, house visits during Gawai

The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) yesterday issued a directive where house to house and longhouse to longhouse ‘ngabang’ or visits will not be allowed during the Hari Gawai celebration next week.

SDMC chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said while Hari Gawai is only allowed to be celebrated for one day, the ‘miring’ ritual will be allowed, but only if it adheres to the standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the committee.

“SDMC has decided that ‘ngabang’ from house to house and longhouse to longhouse are not allowed. Hari Gawai can only be celebrated for one day.

“However, rituals such as ‘miring’ are allowed,” said the deputy chief minister during a SDMC Covid-19 press conference here yesterday.

On that note, Uggah said SDMC yesterday received 3,454 applications for inter-district travel from 28 District Police Headquarters statewide, totalling 69,968 applications to date.

Out of that, he said only 64,101 applications were approved, while 5,867 were rejected.

At the same time, he said the Ministry of Local Government and Housing have issued warning notices to 286 business owners who have violated the SOP during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) period.

Uggah said the police have compounded 38 individuals for attempting inter-district travel without police permits, with a total of 86 compounds issued since May 19.

At the same time, he said the Immigration Department reported 369 detainees were being held at the Bekenu and the Semuja Deportation Centres, where 315 are about to be deported while 81 are still waiting for their court trials.