Tawau district council chief mulls temporarily shutting airport to break Covid-19 chain

 

Swab samples to test for Covid-19 are pictured at Dewan Desa Temuan in Kota Damansara January 29, 2021. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

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TAWAU, April 9 — The Tawau District Disaster Management Committee has suggested that Tawau Airport be closed temporarily for passenger services to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Its chairman, Arnold Joibi, who is also the Tawau Municipal Council President, said the matter had been proposed to the State Disaster Management Committee and Sabah National Security Council (MKN) recently.

“The daily cases of Covid-19 infection in Tawau are worrying, and that is why we need to address the matter by taking some health safety measures,” he told Bernama.

Tawau recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases at 63 out of the total of 106 cases in Sabah yesterday.

Meanwhile, he said stern action including maximum compounds would be imposed on residents who left the enhanced movement control order (EMCO) localities.

“Residents of Simpang 3A, Merotai Besar, Kampung Baru Pasir Putih, Fasa 2A Taman Semarak and Kampung Ranggu Batu 10 who fled from the EMCO are required to immediately and undergo Covid-19 screening tests.

“There are many residents in the EMCO localities who have yet to undergo screening tests. For example, at Fasa 2A Taman Semarak, there are 840 residents but only 160 underwent screening tests,” he said.

Arnold also urged the public to comply with the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by MKN to break the chain of Covid-19 infection.

Meanwhile, Tawau district police chief ACP Peter Umbuas said police will add two more roadblocks at Jalan Utara and Jalan Kuhara to control the movement of residents into the town.

“Apart from that, police have also closed two roads namely Jalan Salleh and Jalan Tanjung Batu,” he said, adding Tawau recorded the lowest level of SOP compliance throughout Sabah.

At present, there are three roadblocks in Tawau, namely at Jambatan Putih, Batu Jalan Apas and Jalan Tiku. — Bernama