THERE is enough food and fuel to last two weeks for the 14,000 people living in landlocked Limbang, said Abang Johari Openg.

At a press conference last night following a Sarawak Security Council meeting, the chief minister said he does not foresee a food shortage in the state’s northernmost administrative division during the movement-control order enforcement period, which is effective today till March 31.

“(There is) enough food stock. It’s only a two-week thing.

“If it’s two months, maybe (there would be an issue). Two weeks is not a long time,” he said when asked if the Putrajaya directive, which bans Malaysians from travelling abroad, will see supply trucks unable to make trips to Brunei.

There are also fears in Limbang that the lockdown imposed in the neighbouring country to stop the spread of Covid-19 prohibits the entry of such trucks.

Limbang is essentially cut off from the rest of Sarawak, hemmed in to the north by the Brunei district of Temburong and to the south by Brunei proper. Supply trucks from Miri have to pass through Brunei to reach Limbang.

Abang Johari said his administration “will look into it when we got a problem”.

Yesterday, Limbang MP and Deputy Transport Minister Hasbi Habibollah said Brunei authorities have assured that there will be no restrictions on supply trucks that need to pass through the kingdom.

He said he personally contacted the Brunei Land Transport Department and Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board’s (CVLB) Sarawak office to seek clarification on the matter.

Cars and buses from Limbang and Miri will also be allowed to cross Brunei, with drivers and passengers subjected to health checks on the border, he said.

Sarawak CVLB chairman Wong King Wei said there is an exception in the movement-control order allowing Malaysians to leave the country on supply runs.

Limbang resident Mastura Ismail said fears of a food shortage sparked panic-buying on Monday. – March 18, 2020.