RMCO: To lift or not to lift?

Come next Tuesday, the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) is scheduled to be lifted, but are Sarawakians ready to take responsibility in protecting themselves and others, towards ensuring that the Covid-19 scourge does not flare up again.

Aug 26, 2020

KUCHING: Come next Tuesday, the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) is scheduled to be lifted, but are Sarawakians ready to take responsibility in protecting themselves and others, towards ensuring that the Covid-19 scourge does not flare up again?

Many have expressed doubt as to whether the RMCO should be lifted on Aug 31 as the country continues to record a high number of violations against the standard operating procedures (SOP) laid out by the government.

Just last weekend, the police here rounded up 16 individuals at Kuching Waterfront for failing to maintain physical distancing, among other SOP violations.

Kuching police chief ACP Awang Din Awang Gani had expressed disappointment that although repeated warnings to comply to the SOP had been issued by the police through the mass media, especially in regard to physical distancing, many were still lackadaisical.

“Although compounds were issued almost every day to SOP violators, the public seem to be becoming more complacent,” he said in a statement last weekend.

The government imposed the various stages of MCOs to empower the authorities to take action against people who violate the SOP as well as other regulations put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in April said the police will not compromise with those who disobey or violate the MCO.

On Aug 8, he described the decision by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to implement a nationwide MCO from March 18 as a “big and bold decision” for the country and the people.

This was because during that time, other countries were still hesitant to respond to or take different actions in dealing with Covid-19, even after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared it a pandemic and global health crisis, Ismail Sabri told reporters during the launch of the ‘Embracing New Norms’ campaign.

On the Sarawak front, State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said the RMCO would most likely be extended beyond Aug 31 in view of new Covid-19 cases emerging in the state every now and then.

“First of all, I’m not sure if the RMCO is going to be lifted on Aug 31, but SDMC is preparing various strategies such as looking at the possibility of reviving the number of flights going into and out of the state,” he told The Borneo Post after a press conference on the Covid-19 situation in Sarawak, here on Monday.

Uggah however noted that any decision to extend the RMCO is the prerogative of the federal government.

As for life returning to normal post-Covid-19, he said it is too soon to tell.

“Nobody can predict that. We just have to pray, and for everybody to comply with the SOP like physical distancing and wearing face masks in public places,” he said.

Uggah revealed that SDMC has also instructed the state Health Department to widen and intensify surveillance at entry points across the state as well as at plantations, construction sites and various other places.

He said the Sarawak’s strategy is to cover as much area as possible and to detect any signs of Covid-19 infection as quickly as possible.

“The strategy is to identify fast, treat fast, and cut off the chain (of infection),” he added.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) Sarawak Branch chairman Dr Teh Siao Hean agreed that SOP compliance among the public is an issue.

He said while the current SOP is undoubtedly effective, the onus is on the people to follow the SOP to ensure its effectiveness.

“I believe that the authorities are trying their best to enforce the SOP but we all need to play our role to stop the spread of Covid-19.

“This is an unprecedented pandemic, there is no playbook for it,” he told The Borneo Post.

As for life post-Covid-19, Dr Teh warned that Malaysians have to be prepared to live the ‘new norm’ for months or even years.

“Masking, hand hygiene and social distancing will be a way of life for now. The only solution is an effective vaccine, which will take some time to test and prove its efficacy and safety in large populations. This will take time,” he said.

Nonetheless, he said Malaysia has done well in controlling the pandemic in comparison to some more developed countries in Europe and America.

He said Sarawak in general has done well in controlling the new clusters, which is expected given that there have been recurrences all over the world whenever restrictions or lockdowns have been eased.

“We need to keep up our vigilance and efforts at this stage,” Dr Teh said.

In this regard, it is perhaps better for the government to extend the RMCO until such a time when the Covid-19 threat is over or when the new norm has become second nature for Sarawakians.––Borneo Post