A SARAWAK political party has demanded that the state government impose a total lockdown of the state, including closing all customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) stations and border posts along the border with its Borneo neighbours Brunei, Kalimantan and Sabah.

The Sarawak People’s Aspiration Party (Aspirasi) wants the food supply route going through Brunei from Miri to the Northern district of Limbang and Lawas closed as well to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Aspirasi president Lina Soo said she was “horrified” to learn that the CIQs with Brunei and Kalimantan are exempted and remain open, even if only for a short time.

Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg earlier this morning announced the closure of all its border posts with Brunei, Kalimantan and Sabah today with the exception of the CIQs.

Abang Johari said the CIQs between Sarawak and Brunei at Sg Tujuh, Tedungan, Pandaruan and Mengkalap will remain open for 14 hours from 6am to 8pm while the ICQs between Sarawak and Kalimantan at Tebedu, Biawak and Lubok Antu will open from 9am to 3pm.

However, the border posts at Serikin, Batu Lintang, Ba Kelalan, Bunan Gega, Sematan, Padawan on the Sarawak-Kalimantan border are to be shut.

The chief minister did not mention the Sindumin CIQ on the Sarawak-Sabah border in Lawas, but Sabah has already banned non-Sabahans from entering the state.

“If the Sarawak government takes so seriously the ‘criticalness’ of the Covid-19 situation, it should leave nothing to chance and must seal off all borders with urgency,” Soo said.

She said Brunei and Sabah both have Covid-19 cases and Sarawak will face dire consequences if any infected persons slip through.

Soo said even though there are no reported virus positive cases in Kalimantan, “it is better to err on the side of caution”, as Indonesia reportedly has the highest Covid-19 deaths in Southeast Asia.

The latest Covid-19 death toll in Indonesia is 30.

“Indonesia is known to have insufficient testing kit and personal protection equipment and the virus is still spreading.

“This is a life and death situation. The Sarawak government cannot afford to make the slightest error of judgment.

“Stop all non-Sarawakians from coming in. Short-term pain and suffering is a better solution than bearing a lingering persistent problem where more people will suffer for a longer period of time.”

Malaysia has seen four Covid-19 deaths, including one from Sarawak. As of today, Malaysia has 1,183 cases, with 153 reported today. – March 21, 2020.