KUCHING, March 27 — State border security committee chairman Tan Sri Dr James Masing said today a total of 876 personnel will be deployed at entry points along the 900km Sarawak-Kalimantan border to prevent people infected with Covid-19 from crossing over.
He said these entry points include three Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQs) complexes and 43 illegal entry points or jalan tikus (rat trails).
He said these three CIQs at Biawak in Lundu, Lubok Antu in Sri Aman Division and Entikong in Serian Division will remain open during the movement control order (MCO).
However, he said the others will be sealed and manned 24 hours a day during the health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The committee was assured by the General Operations Force, Armed Forces and Immigration Department that all the entry points are manned 24 hours,” Masing, who is also the deputy chief minister, said after chairing the border security committee meeting.
He added, during the duration of Covid-19, regular patrols will monitor the entry points so that no one can sneak in.
He said the three new entry points in Long Singut, Long Busang and Tapak Megah in Kapit Division will also be monitored.
Masing said he is pleased to note that the police and army, who are policing the MCO, have been doing a splendid job and Sarawakians, in general, have been very cooperative.
Today’s meeting, the first by the committee which was formed yesterday, was attended by Deputy State Secretary Datu Ik Pahon, Permanent Secretary Datu Safri Zainudin of Infrastructure and Port Development and officers from General Operations Force, Armed Forces, Immigration, State Security Committee, police and Regional Corridor Development Authority.
*Editor's note: An earlier version of this article contained an error which has since been rectified.
