Day: June 18, 2021

The government’s efforts in implementing Movement Control Order (MCO) 3.0 or total lockdown has shown positive signs and reduced the infectivity rate or COVID-19 R-naught (Rt) in the country.

Senior Minister, who is also International Trade and Industry Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said following the projection of the Ministry of Health (MOH) recently, the daily COVID-19 cases in the country could have exceeded 13,000 cases on June 14 if the restriction had not been implemented.

“We succeeded in lowering (the number of new COVID-19 cases) to 4,949 cases on June 14.

“Why did this happen? Because of the firm action taken by the government in implementing the total lockdown. This is already a success in containing the spread of the pandemic,” he told a media conference after visiting the industrial vaccination centre at the Austin International Convention Centre (AICC) here, today.

He said this when asked to comment on the statements of several quarters who claimed that the implementation of MCO 3.0 since June 1 would not be successful in reducing the number of COVID-19 cases.

Asked about the government’s efforts in controlling workplace cluster, Mohamed Azmin said among the measures to reduce the proliferation of COVID-19 was by implementing MCO 3.0 aimed at reducing people’s movement.

“This has been repeatedly explained by MOH that we should take more stringent measures to control movement with strict standard operating procedures (SOP) to ensure people’s health and their well-being is looked after,” he said.

Commenting on the vaccination centre at AICC under the Public-Private Partnership Industrial COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PIKAS), he said the vaccination centre was the second in Johor and would start operating on June 28.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

The Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) and the Sarawak Health Department (JKNS) are reviewing the latest procedures for entry into the state from abroad for those who have already undergone mandatory quarantine during transit in Peninsular Malaysia.

JPBN, in a statement today, said that it was due to several amendments made by the Health Ministry (MOH) as well as changes in procedures related to quarantine and COVID-19 screening test for travellers and crew arriving through Malaysia’s international gateway.

According to the latest MOH procedures, all travellers from abroad are required to undergo the COVID-19 RT-PCR test and mandatory quarantine for 14 days (21 days if coming from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh) before being allowed to travel to other states, and to comply with the entry procedures set by the respective states.

The statement said that until further decisions are made, all travellers from abroad who wish to enter Sarawak must comply with the latest instructions from the MOH.

“For those who have completed the mandatory quarantine period and the swab test on the 10th day is negative, they have to enter Sarawak within 24 hours and will be quarantined until the following swab test in Sarawak is negative,” according to the statement.

Meanwhile, JKNS announced that two new clusters were detected in Kuching today, namely the Kampung Sungai Agas cluster and the Jalan Sungai Tapang cluster.

The Kampung Sungai Agas cluster is a community cluster that was detected in a settlement in Jalan Matang near here, which was caused by cross-district movement and close contact after attending a funeral of a close relative in Sri Aman, about 200 km from Kuching.

“A total of 30 individuals were screened, 16 of which tested positive for COVID-19 including the index case while six cases are still awaiting results,” the statement read.

The Jalan Sungai Tapang cluster is a workplace cluster that involves a private cleaning company in Jalan Stapang near here, which was caused by social movements and close contact among employees and family members.

According to the statement, a total of 236 individuals were screened in which 31 cases were confirmed positive for COVID-19 including the index case, 199 cases were found negative and six cases are still awaiting results.

Sarawak today recorded 536 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the cumulative positive cases to 58,570, while the death toll rose to 373 after seven new deaths were reported.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

— A senior citizen doggedly rides his bicycle almost every day to sell various types of frozen pastry products to earn an income in order to support himself and his wife during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.

Starting out as early as 9 am, Husin Muhamad, 60, would cycle around until 12 noon in the Kampung Tengku Hussein Hujong area in Manjoi here and its surrounding areas yelling kuih!.. kuih! to attract customers.

Fondly known as Pakcik Husin, he said the products are stored in a styrofoam box to retain their quality and tied firmly to the back seat of the bicycle during his rounds in the villages.

“I sell various frozen puff pastries such as curry puffs, samosa, doughnuts, ‘pau’ and many more attract buyers.

“I will personally deliver the products to my customers’ homes if they order through the WhatsApp application, with no additional charges. Buyers from outside Manjoi will pick up their orders from my house or wait at certain locations,” he said when Bernama met him and his wife at their home in the village, which is located about three kilometres from the city centre.

He said the idea of cycling around selling pastries came about during a discussion with his niece last year as he enjoyed cycling and interested in venturing into petty trading.

“I opted to sell my wares using this electric bicycle because I am not good at riding motorcycles. It is also more relaxing,” he said, adding that he also wears a face mask in compliance with the stipulated standard operating procedure (SOP) of the MCO to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

He admitted that his sales were slightly affected by the MCO 3.0 due to the implementation of the Enhanced MCO in several areas in Manjoi from June 6 to 19.

The Parit-born Pakcik Husin said he made about RM200 a month from selling the frozen items sourced from suppliers in Changkat Jering.

He added that he had never raised the price of his frozen pastries, at RM6 a pack, even during the MCO as he was not interested in just making profits.

“Many of my customers praise me because I still sell my frozen pastries at cheap and reasonable prices despite the MCO. I am delighted with the comments as I enjoy selling them and hope more will become my customers,” he said.

Prior to this, Pakcik Husin was a contract laboratory storekeeper at the Jelapang Health Clinic here.

He also sells other supplementary food and drinks such as various types of coffee, canned drinks, potato chips, groundnuts and salted eggs to increase his income.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

— The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities will launch a pilot project under the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) which will focus on the oil palm plantation sector to begin with, said Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali.

The minister said the project was set to start in Selangor, involving an estimated 5,000 people and that it has received full support from the COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) team.

“Follow-up action with details are being prepared with CITF for implementation in the near future,” he said in a media statement.

Under the pilot programme, the government will provide, free of charge, the supply and delivery of vaccines. However, plantation companies will still need to bear other costs related to providing a vaccine centre that meets Ministry of Health guidelines, medical equipment, vaccination, doctors and nurses and allowances for volunteers and security personnel.

“Participation by industry players in this programme is voluntary, this is aimed at getting oil palm estate and agriculture commodity workers vaccinated in groups. In this respect, the ministry welcomes the participation of industry players to make this vaccination exercise, which will be launched soon, a success,” he added.

The ministry will provide updates on this project from time to time through media statements and via its website at www.mpic.gov.my.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency