KOTA KINABALU, March 2 — With inter-district ban movement still barred here, the Sabah government has approved a "travel bubble” between two private resorts here and Mantanani island, off the west coast of Kota Belud.

According to a statement issued by Sabah Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Masidi Manjun, the State Covid Disaster Management Committee with the Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry has approved the travel bubble to commence from tomorrow.

"The travel bubble will allow travel and movement from Sutera Harbour to Mantanani island,” he said.

In the accompanying standard operating procedure sheet, the five-star Sutera Harbour is allowed to take bookings from guests under a tour package and can move across districts without obtaining further approval from the police.

The exemption is specifically for Sutera Harbour Resort and Spa in the state capital, the Rampayan jetty in Kota Belud and the Sutera Mantanani Island Resort and Spa on the island. The journey is around two hours by road and another 40 minutes by boat.

The package will be handled by the resort which has to ensure no more than 50 per cent capacity in both the transportation and the accommodation, and guests have to show proof of health through the MySejahtera app.

Sabah is among the states that will enter the recovery movement control order beginning Friday but unlike other states, inter-district travel is still prohibited.

The Sabah government requested that the travel ban be extended for another two weeks as a recent cluster in Nabawan had spread to other districts.