KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 — Authorities are prohibiting non-essential services, dine-ins, as well as educational and social activities in the Sabah capital of Kota Kinabalu and two districts, Penampang and Putatan, from October 7 under an indefinite Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).
Senior Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said in a statement that travel in and out of these three areas will not be allowed. As of yesterday, Kota Kinabalu has been listed as a red zone with 160 local Covid-19 cases reported in the past fortnight, while Penampang and Putatan were yellow zones with 17 and 11 cases respectively.
Under the CMCO, whose end-date was not specified, only two people per household will be allowed to leave their home to get food and daily necessities. Working residents are not allowed to leave the area for work, as authorities instructed employers to allow their employees to take leave or work from home.
Only essential services, including factories and related supply chains, will be allowed to operate, which will soon be listed by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. Workers in essential services must get police permission before resuming work.
Vehicles transporting essential goods are allowed to enter and leave the districts under CMCO on condition of prior police permission.
All sports, recreational, social, and cultural activities are prohibited, as well as places of worship, kindergartens, schools, tahfiz centres, higher education learning institutions, skills training institutes, and child care centres.
Dine-ins are not allowed either, with residents in Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, and Putatan only allowed to purchase food at drive-throughs, takeaways, or deliveries.
Express buses and buses which make frequent stops will not be allowed to operate during the CMCO. Taxis and e-hailing vehicles can only carry a maximum of two passengers. These vehicles, as well as food delivery, are mandated to follow 6am to 8pm operating hours.
Petrol stations, restaurants, eateries, grocery stores, pharmacies, and drug stores can only operate from 6am to 6pm, while daily markets can open only from 6am to 2pm. Night markets, tamu, wholesale markets, and farmers’ markets are prohibited.
Public and private clinics and hospitals are allowed to operate 24 hours a day. Airports and ports are also allowed to operate, but workers and passengers must get prior approval from the police.
Emergency cases must apply for travel permission from the authorities.
Ismail Sabri also announced that entry into Sabah is prohibited, except for Sabahans, couples working in essential services, and pass holders for residents from the peninsula, Sarawak, and Labuan. All others are required to get special permission from the Sabah state government before travelling to Sabah.
Any questions can be forwarded to the Sabah state disaster operations room at 088-369434.
Lahad Datu, Tawau, Kunak, and Semporna have been placed under an administrative Targeted Enhanced Movement Control Order (TEMCO) from September 29 to October 12. As of yesterday, Sabah has recorded 1,305 new local Covid-19 cases within the past two weeks.
