New Covid-19 variants worrying — BCCCI president
BINTULU: The emergence of new Covid-19 variants with high infectivity and no apparent symptoms is most worrying, said Bintulu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCI) president Yek Siew Liong.
Thus, he recommended that the first version of the Movement Control Order (MCO) be enforced if the vaccination process cannot be expedited to achieve herd immunity.
He said the first MCO had proven effective in controlling and stopping the transmission of the virus from person to person.
However, if the government decided to go for strict MCO, he added, similar assistance as provided under the first MCO should be extended to those who would be financially affected by the closure of all economic activities.
“At times, it is better to choose short-term effective pain rather than prolonging the agony,” he said.
Asked about the State Disaster Management Committee’s (SDMC) decision not to enforce the nationwide MCO 3.0, Yek said it did not make much difference.
“The implementation of Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) by SDMC with stringent standard operating procedure (SOP) and enforcement of Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in some areas has almost the same measure of restriction to prevent the spread of Covid-19 infections,” he added.
On the other hand, Sarawak Chamber of Bumiputera Entrepreneurs (DUBS) vicepresident and chairman of its Bintulu branch, Datuk Abdul Kadier Sahib, said: “If a comparison is made between SOPs of CMCO in Sarawak and MCO in other parts of Malaysia, most are the same”.
He added that there are very few major differences in the implementation of MCO in Peninsular Malaysia and CMCO in Sarawak.
Generally, Abdul Kadier pointed out, CMCO is acceptable in the present circumstances as it allows economic activities to run as usual, thus not affecting the recovery of the state’s economy.
The SDMC had announced the extension of CMCO for Sarawak from May 18 (12.01am) to June 7 (11.59pm). This decision was made after assessing the Covid19 situation in the state, where positive cases are still high.
The CMCO had originally been extended in Sarawak until May 17. SDMC also said two villages in Bintulu, namely Kampung Jabai and Kampung Hulu Sebauh, are undergoing EMCO from May 14 to 27.
Meanwhile, the CMCO with enhanced SOP has been enforced in Bintulu since April 14 by the Bintulu Division Disaster Management Committee (BDDMC).
It is a drastic measure to control the spread of Covid-19 and has been extended until May 17. The main measures that have been enforced include compulsory negative rT-PCR Covid-19 test results to travel in and out of Bintulu Division, with exception for certain cases like emergencies, hospital appointments and funeral matters, and the residents are also not allowed in public places after 8pm without any valid reasons.
BDDMC chairman Jack Aman Luat when met by reporters recently said the extension of the CMCO with enhanced SOP would depend on the Covid-19 situation in Bintulu.