KUCHING, June 19 — The state government, in a last-minute policy change, has decided that all Sarawakians who return from Indonesia will have to undergo a 14-day self-quarantine at hotels designated as quarantine centres under the state Public Health Ordinance.
State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian said Sarawakians returning from overseas are required to have polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests three days before arriving in the state.
“For Sarawakians with a final destination at Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri, they will then be required to undergo 14 days compulsory home quarantine with PCR tests on the 10th day,” he said in a statement posted on his Facebook page last night.
He said for Sarawakians with final destinations at green zones will have to undergo 14 days compulsory isolation at quarantine centres in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri before they are allowed to go home.
“We want to protect our rural green zones with fewer medical facilities,” he said.
Dr Sim said any Indonesian, even with a valid work permit, are not allowed to enter Sarawak till further notice, adding that this is similar to the Malaysian government policy of not allowing foreigners, even if they have a work permit to enter the country.
He added that any non-Sarawakian Malaysians from peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Labuan will be subjected to random PCR testing upon arrival at the entry points in Sarawak.
“Sincere apologies for any last-minute changes of a policy due to dynamic natures of Covid-19 outbreak,” Dr Sim said.
