SARAWAK has granted the state’s oil palm industry exemption from the federal government’s movement control order that came into force today.

Sarawak Oil Palm Plantation Owners Association said in a statement that its members received  conditional permission to continue to operate after a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah today.

“The Sarawak government has given permission to the palm oil industry – estates, mills and refineries – to operate during the Covid-19 movement restriction order with some conditions,” SOPPOA stated.

The first condition is that all workers must undergo a body temperature check before the start of each work day.  Anyone with a fever is to be immediately referred to the nearest hospital.

The second condition requires workers to practise minimal contact while the workforce is to be reduced to the minimum. 

The third is to minimise the workers’ contact with people outside their working environment by restricting the movements of all workers.

Last night, Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg said all factories in the state must close to comply with the movement control order effective today until March 31.

However, factories deemed to be offering “essential services” such as those in the Samalaju industrial park in Bintulu, the Samajaya Free Industrial Zone in Kuching, and plywood factories may stay open with with a skeleton workforce.

The state today detected five more positive Covid-19 cases, bringing the total in Sarawak to 50. One had died. – March 18, 2020.