Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob today promised to forward a proposal by a local teacher in Sabah for Covid-19 quarantine centres to be set-up on its islands in order to quarantine patients who tested positive.
Describing it as a "good idea", Ismail said he would raise the idea for discussion with the Sabah National Security Council (NSC), the Health Ministry, and the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma).
"That is a good idea... Firstly I will discuss with Sabah NSC, secondly, I will forward it to the Health Ministry because it involves setting-up quarantine centres.
"And also discussions with Nadma because quarantine centres are under their management," said Ismail during his daily Covid-19 update press conference, aired live on the Defence Ministry's Facebook page.
He was responding to a question from the media regarding a reported proposal by a community school teacher from Pulau Omadal, Jefry Musa, for schools on islands in Sabah with Covid-19 positive cases to be converted into temporary quarantine centres.
This follows reported challenges faced by health officers from outside the area to trace the islanders for Covid-19 screenings, and to convince those who tested positive to receive treatment at hospitals on the mainland.
Jefry had made the proposal based on his personal experience with Bajau Laut villagers on Pulau Omadal who ran away to hide in their homes, in the forest, or other spots on the island, during a recent visit by medical officers to perform community screening.
Among others, Jefry said the villagers were not only spooked by claims that the Covid-19 screening would be a painful process but also they were fearful of arrests.
Statelessness has remained an issue among Sabah islanders even after several generations and they could be subjected to arrests for not possessing valid documents. - Mkini
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