KUCHING, July 4 — The federal government must set a deadline to achieve the targets under the National Recovery Plan (NRP) to allow the country’s economy to reopen, said Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) Pending branch chairman Tan Kay Hok.

"This is so that the citizens can start resuming work and production, instead of just letting the citizens wait for the second phase of the National Recovery Plan to come,” said Tan in a statement.

Besides that, Tan said the government must also conducted a large-scale swab testing before allowing industries to resume work.

"So as to find and track the confirmed cases in time, conduct pandemic investigation and take corresponding measures to stop the infection chain. In this way, the occurrence of infection clusters in the workplace will be effectively reduced and people can work in a safer working environment.”

For businesses and employees who are about to return to work, Tan said priority should be given to them in the vaccination campaign.

He further stressed the government must strictly regulate workplaces in making sure compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOP).

"In addition, companies and businesses must also conduct detailed investigations before resuming work to find out whether employees are from high or medium risk infection areas, whether pandemic prevention equipment and measures are complete, and whether there is a possibility of asymptomatic infection of employees.”

At the same time, he said various industries need to customise their SOP in accordance with their respective workplaces, based on their own operating method and working environment.

"For example, the government should allow people who have been vaccinated to enter a restaurant or coffee shop for dine-in if they meet the SOP and present a vaccine certificate.”

Tan opined it was impractical for all states to follow the National Recovery Plan as the availabilities of intensive care units and the medical systems varies from state to state. 

"Therefore, the pandemic response plans should be discussed by state to make practical follow-up efforts.”

Tan remarked that sectors such as computer shops, telecommunications shops and electrical goods stores should be allowed to operate at this stage, as long as they complied with the SOP.

"At this stage, these retail outlets provide and sell essential goods for people to work at home or to take online classes. So, the government needs to reconsider and relax the conditions for these industries.

Thus, Tan said the current National Recovery Plan can at best be used as an indicator but questions remained on how its objectives could be achieved.

"It is imperative that the government aim to fully open up the economic sector and set a deadline or date for early preparation and follow-up plans,” said Tan. — Borneo Post