THE Statistics Department is postponing the implementation of the second phase of the Population and Housing Census 2020 (Census 2020), which involves face-to-face interviews, for Sabah, with a new start date to be announced later.

Census 2020 commissioner Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a statement today the decision was taken following Senior Minister (Security) Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s announcement today on the implementation of interdistrict restrictions throughout the state effective 12.01am on Saturday until October 16.

“Based on this, supervisors and enumerators appointed in Sabah need not turn up for duty throughout the implementation of the interdistrict controls in Sabah while the training sessions for enumerators in Sabah scheduled for October 1 to October 5 have also been called off effective immediately,” he said.

However, Uzir, who is also chief statistician, said Census 2020 will continue to be implemented in other states in accordance with standard operating procedures and subject to notifications from time to time. 

The second phase of Census 2020 via face-to-face interviews will be under way from October 7-24.

Ismail Sabri had also said today that the implementation of the targeted enhanced movement control order in four districts in Sabah, namely Tawau, Lahad Datu, Kunak and Semporna remain in force. – Bernama, October 1, 2020.