KUCHING: Business operating hours in three divisions in the state namely Kuching, Samarahan and Serian which have been categorised as Covid-19 yellow/red zone areas, are limited to between 6am and 10pm, effective Aug 1.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, said the decision was made after taking into account the current development of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The number of active cases reported in Sarawak is still high namely 70 cases. Of that total, Kuching recorded 52 cases with 38 cases being local transmission and 14 imported cases.
"While in Samarahan, 11 local transmission cases and two imported cases were recorded," he said yesterday.
Meanwhile, Uggah who is also Deputy Chief Minister I said all Malaysians including Sarawakians returning from the Peninsula, Sabah and Labuan would be quarantined at the quarantine centres provided by the government and the Covid-19 test sample would be taken on the second day.
If the test result is negative, they would be allowed to return home without having to complete the remaining quarantine.
"All quarantine costs and sample tests for Sarawakians including Federal civil servants working in the state will be borne by the Sarawak government.
"Other not mentioned in the above categories would have to bear the cost of quarantine and Covid-19 sample test. This instruction is effective from Aug 1 to 14, 2020," he said.
Meanwhile, Uggah said JPBN had discussed with polytechnics and community colleges in Sarawak and decided to postpone the offline registration of new and senior students for the June 2020 academic session to a later date.
"The polytechnics and community colleges are the Kuching Polytechnic, Mukah Polytechnic, Metro Betong Polytechnic, Kuching Community College, Mas Gading Community College, Santubong Community College, Betong Community College, Sarikei Community College and Miri Community College," he said. -- Bernama