Larger event capacity from today

SDMC increases number of attendees allowed for social, official events to 50 per cent of size of venue

KUCHING: The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) has decided that all social and official events involving large crowds will be permitted to have a capacity of 50 per cent of a venue’s size effective today, says its chairman Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.

The previous directive allowed for a maximum of 250 attendees at any social event, depending on the size of the venue.

“The 50 per cent capacity depends on the size of the venue. For example, if a venue could accommodate a maximum of 1,000 people, 500 maximum would be allowed to attend.

“This is so that they can observe physical distancing while in the venue,” said Uggah at a press conference here yesterday.

He also pointed out that the state-level National Day celebration to be held in Sri Aman this Aug 30 would also observe the new standard operating procedure ( SOP) at all venues involved.

On another development, Uggah said 12 private health facilities in Sarawak had been approved by the Health Ministry to conduct Covid-19 screenings.

They are Borneo Medical Centre, Kuching; Kuching Specialist Hospital; Normah Medical Centre, Kuching; Timberland Medical Centre, Kuching; Klinik Kotaraya Samarahan; Rejang Medical Centre, Sibu; PMG Medical Clinic, Sibu; Bintulu Medical Centre; Columbia Asia Hospital, Bintulu; Borneo Medical Centre, Miri; KPJ Miri Specialist Hospital; and Columbia Asia Hospital, Miri.

Meanwhile, he said Health Department Sarawak would tighten its surveillance on ports throughout the state to prevent anyone from avoiding Covid-19 screening at entry points. The move was in view of the Jupiter Cluster in Bintulu, where a shipping agent was accused of illegally bringing an Indonesian crew member into the country without going through immigration checks, he added.

“The Health Department in Sarawak will tighten its surveillance on all our ports and will start in Bintulu tomorrow (Tuesday).

“This is to ensure cases can be detected early on all fronts. The earlier we detect a case, the sooner we can do contact-tracing, and the better chance we have at breaking the transmission chain of Covid-19.”

Uggah also revealed that the Immigration Department had taken legal action against the shipping agent involved in the Jupiter Cluster.

It is said that the agent was charged under Section 43 of the Immigration Act 1959/63, and had paid the RM4,000 compound, while the Indonesian crew member had been deported back to his country and blacklisted by the Immigration Department of Malaysia.

Uggah urged all Sarawakians to cooperate with the authorities and enforcement officers so that the state could effectively curb further spread of the virus.

“The war is not over yet. We are still struggling (to curb Covid19), and I hope everyone would cooperate and support each other,” he added.

The 50 per cent capacity depends on the size of the venue. For example, if a venue could accommodate a maximum of 1,000 people, 500 maximum would be allowed to attend.

Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah