Covid-19: 784 Orang Asli test positive in Bidor, 8 deaths

 

To date, a total of 784 Orang Asli residents in Mukim Bidor, which is under the enhanced movement control order (MCO), have tested positive for Covid-19 and eight have succumbed to the virus.

Perak police chief Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said the data was based on the Batang Padang district health office screening on 5,165 residents in Kampung Senta, Kampung Chang and Kampung Sanding during the enhanced MCO period which came into effect yesterday (Wednesday).

"We will take full control until the district health office completes the screening of the Orang Asli population in the Batang Padang district," he told reporters after inspecting the implementation of enhanced MCO at Batu 7, Jalan Pahang today.

On Monday, Senior Foreign Affairs Minister (Security Cluster) Hishammuddin Hussein said the enhanced MCO was implemented simultaneously on 23 Orang Asli villages of the Semai tribe in the Batang Padang district, starting yesterday until Aug 24.

Meanwhile, Mior Faridalathrash said his team had not received any reports of Orang Asli residents using the "rat lanes" to escape from the enhanced MCO areas.

He said the residents had been briefed on the effects and consequences of violating the law as the village area did have many rat lanes. However, it has been observed that the public was cooperating with the authorities working in the enhanced MCO areas.

Meanwhile, the Orang Asli communities in the affected areas were also allowed to bring out their farm produce to be marketed but these must be delivered to the nearest enhanced MCO control post to be picked up by wholesalers or buyers.

He said permission was given for this because they did not want the Orang Asli people, who made a living by selling their crops, to suffer losses due to dumping and damage to their crops.

"We have had discussions with several parties and we have agreed to allow the Orang Asli residents to send their crops to the control post as they are strictly not allowed to leave the enhanced MCO area," he added.

- Bernama