KUCHING: Community leaders who fail to ensure compliance of standard operation procedures (SOPs) against Covid-19 in their respective longhouses or villages risk getting compounded.
Sarawak Disaster Management Committee Chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said they could be issued compounds by the relevant authorities as it was part of their responsibilities to look after their residents' wellbeing.
He said this when officiating a community policing workshop for 49 community leaders in Spaoh yesterday.
Uggah said several longhouse chiefs in the state had been issued compounds of RM2,000.00 lately for such failures.
Uggah's speech was read by the Chief Minister's political secretary, Dr Richard Rapu.
He said although rural folks had mostly been vaccinated, it was no excuse to be complacent.
He said compliance was crucial to avoid any new outbreak, more so with the new Covid-19 variant such as the highly contagious and dangerous Delta variant now being detected in the state.
"It is of absolute importance for the SOPs to be observed at times, especially at funerals and social activities with large crowds."
"In the case of any funeral, the longhouse chief concerned needs to inform the district office."
"This is to allow crowd control measure to be enforced as such events are fertile grounds for the virus to spread like in the notorious Pasai cluster, the biggest in the state so far," he said,
The super spreader detected in a longhouse in Sibu in December last year had resulted in 2,693 positive cases and 29 deaths when it spread to 58 longhouses state-wide.
On the same issue, Uggah who is Bukit Saban assemblyman said till now, 22 clusters were due to funeral gatherings state-wide with 4,466 positive cases and 35 deaths.
Meanwhile, he reiterated his calls for those who are still hesitant to get the vaccination to get it now.
Besides exposing themselves to the virus, they would be a source of exposure to others.
He said they could also miss out on a number of benefits to be enjoyed by those already vaccinated which were expected to be announced by the federal government soon. They might even be ostracized by their community.
Meanwhile, Betong divisional health officer Dr. Johnny Pangkas said the response to the vaccination operation in the division from the people had been excellent.
"The majority had received their vaccination. We have enjoyed good co-operation and team spirit from all frontliners and the people."
Dr Johnny also reminded longhouse chiefs to register all attendees at any funeral or social gatherings including their handphone numbers.
"If there is a need for us to do any active case detection operation, the details will allow us to contact all concerned fast."
He said the policy of the state government to vaccinate then register the people had greatly facilitated the vaccination process in rural areas. - NST
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