RMCO: Sabah allows cross-district travel based on 6 zones

 

The Sabah government today allowed cross-district travel in the state based on the six zones stipulated during the implementation of the recovery movement control order (MCO), said state Housing and Local Government Minister Masidi Manjun.

Masidi, who is also the state government’s official spokesperson on Covid-19, said Zone 1 covered Kota Kinabalu district, Kota Belud, Ranau, Tuaran, Penampang, Putatan and Papar; Zone 2 (Beaufort, Kuala Penyu and Sipitang) and Zone 3 (Kudat, Kota Marudu and Pitas).

Zone 4 covers Sandakan, Beluran, Kinabatangan and Tongod); Zone 5 (Tawau, Semporna, Lahad Datu, Kunak and Kalabakan) and Zon 6 (Keningau, Tambunan and Tenom).

"Cross-district travel is allowed within the stipulated zone except if a district is under the MCO… residents are only allowed to cross the border within the stipulated zone, they cannot enter a district in another zone.

"This decision (on cross-district travel control) was made after taking various factors into consideration such as the medical science data that we obtained daily and the advice from the Health Ministry,” Masidi said at a state government news conference on Covid-19.

Yesterday, Senior Minister (Security) Ismail Sabri Yaakob reportedly said that Sabah would be among the states placed under the recovery MCO from March 5 to 18.

Masidi said the state government’s action of still not allowing full cross-district travel in Sabah was not the same as that allowed in states in the peninsula based on various factors, especially the size of the districts.

Sabah Housing and Local Government Minister Masidi Manjun

"Malacca is only as big as Ranau district while Pahang is comparable to the size of Kinabatangan, so comparing the size of the districts in Sabah and in the peninsula is not appropriate in terms of district border control to curb the spread of Covid-19," he added.

Masidi said although the number of daily cases was declining in Sabah, with only 95 new cases reported today, all parties including residents should not be complacent in curbing the spread of the virus.

“The infectability in Sabah is still high, so we need to be careful in making any decision while any complacency can cause another (Covid-19) surge in the state," he added.

- Bernama