IT’S another record high of new daily Covid-19 cases for the second consecutive day.

But the situation is under control, said Ismail Sabri Yaakob. As such, a fresh movement control order (MCO ) will not be imposed nationwide to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

And, as travelling from Sabah is interstate travel, mandatory quarantine is not imposed on those who have returned from Sabah and tested negative, unlike those who return from overseas.
 
But, as the senior minister spoke, Sarawak has already announced entry restrictions on non-Sarawakians from Sabah and Labuan from October 4 to October 18 as the state tightens entry requirements to stop imported Covid-19 cases.

According to Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah, this is part of the state’s strategy to protect Sarawak, particularly in view of the high number of cases in neighbouring Sabah.

Meanwhile, those entering Sarawak from Peninsular Malaysia between October 4 and October 18 must apply for permission using the Enter Sarawak application and fill in the e-health declaration form. Non-Sarawakians will be quarantined for 14 days and tested on the second and 10th day.

The state is duly empowered under its Protection of Public Health Ordinance 1999 (Swk Cap 30) to do so. Section 13 states that, where an area or place outside the state has been declared as an infected area under either Section 6(1) or 10(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342), its minister may, by order published in the gazette:

(a) regulate, control or prohibit the entry into the state persons from the infected area or having contact with persons suffering from an infected disease in that area;

(b) prescribe such measures to be taken in regard to persons arriving in the state; and,

(c) prescribe any measures or actions to be taken by the health director or any local authority or any public officer, to prevent the spread of any infectious disease to the state.

Now, under Section 31 of Act 342, the health minister is empowered to make regulations, in respect of the whole or any part of Malaysia, for the purpose of carrying the provisions of the Act into effect. This includes, among others, regulating the movement of persons within Malaysia for the prevention or mitigation of infectious diseases.

This means that persons can be “targeted” – not just areas – as part of measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19. As such, people returning from Sabah could have been made to undergo quarantine. It is within the power of the health minister to direct Sabah returnees to undergo quarantine.

Having said this, it is rightly not the time to pin blame. All parties need to continue working together to flatten the Covid-19 pandemic curve.

But where is the health minister? – October 4, 2020.

* Hafiz Hassan reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.