KUCHING, June 9 — The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said it will follow the federal government into the next phase of the movement control order (MCO) starting tomorrow, but will adapt some of Putrajaya’s measures to better suit local conditions in Borneo.

SDMC chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said the committee generally agreed to follow the federal government’s decision to enforce recovery MCO (RMCO) from June 10 to August 31.

“However, we will study and scrutinise the SOPs for a number of activities to be carried out from tomorrow until August 31, and we will make some improvements to the SOPs so that they will be suitable for implementation in the state,” he told a media briefing here today.

Uggah said the state government has also decided to follow the federal Transport Ministry’s decision to fully exempt social distancing requirements inside an aircraft for scheduled and unscheduled flights, including for private jets and helicopters.

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“This is very much in response to the complaints that when social distancing is applied in the aircraft, which allows only 66.6 per cent of the aircraft to be filled up, it has resulted in the ticket prices to shoot up.

“That is why the federal Transport Ministry allows all aircraft to carry a full capacity for the Kuala Lumpur-Kuching-Kuala Lumpur route,” he said.

Uggah also said inter-district travellers are no longer required to obtain a police permit from tomorrow, adding that they are free to move wherever they want.

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Uggah said Malaysians from the peninsula, Sabah and Labuan are free to enter Sarawak without any need to apply for permission from SDMC.

He added that they also do not have to be screened for Covid-19 three days before their trip.

“However, they are still required to follow certain SOPs, including that they must upload MySejahtera App, and fill in the e-Health Declaration Form which can be obtained from http://sdmc.sarawak.gov.my.

He said random PCR swabs will also be taken among the visitors at the entry points at the airport, land, and sea.

Uggah said the visitors are also advised to upload COVIDTrace Sarawak and Qmunity when they are in the state.

“For Sarawakians who return home from overseas, they will be ordered to undergo a 14-day self-quarantine at designated hotels and swabs will be taken from them on the 10th day,” he said, adding this requirement is also applicable to non-Sarawakian Malaysians who have been to foreign countries before entering the state.

He said foreigners who enter the state with a valid work permit and visa are required to undergo the 14-day quarantine at designated hotels, but they will bear the cost of accommodation.