KUCHING, July 29 — Travellers between Zone One in Sarawak, consisting Kuching, Samarahan and Serian divisions and Zone Two, which covered Sri Aman division right up to Limbang division, are required to obtain police permit before performing the trip with effect from August 1.

State Transport Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin today said the need for the permit had been made compulsory following the decision by the Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) to restrict travelling following the rise in the number of new Covid-19 cases in the state lately.

"The requirement (for the permit) determined by SDMC, applies to airlines, express boats and regional buses services operating between the two zones in Sarawak. It is incumbent upon the airline companies, express boat operators and regional bus companies to make sure that only passengers with police permits are allowed to board their carriers and travel between the two zones,” he said in a statement.

He said this procedure is also applicable to those who would be travelling on or after August 1 but had already purchased their tickets well before the enforcement of the permit requirement for travelling between these zones.

"The relevant government agencies, including Sarawak Rivers Board, Road Transport Department and Police had been directed to monitor compliance to the directives issued by SDMC in respect to travel restriction which is meant for the safety of the public and to contain the spread of Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

Lee said flight frequency for airlines coming in and out of Sarawak, as well as airlines operating in destinations within the state between August 1 and 14 had also been reduced as another move to contain with the spread of the disease.

Based on a table in his statement, the frequency for Malaysia Airlines (MAB) flights between Kuala Lumpur and Sibu has been reduced from three times a week to once a week, while its Kuala Lumpur-Bintulu and vice-versa flight would be cut down to two flights a week from thrice a week.

AirAsia weekly flights between Kuala Lumpur and Kuching would be reduced from 56 down to 14 flights, between Kuching and Bintulu from 21 to seven flights, between Kuching and Miri from 21 flights to seven, between Kuching and Kota Kinabalu from 14 flights to seven, between Kuching and Johor 14 flight to seven.

The AirAsia flights between Sibu and Kuala Lumpur were reduced from 21 to four, between Sibu and Johor Baru from seven to four flights, Bintulu to Kuala Lumpur from 14 flights to seven flights, Miri to Kuala Lumpur from 21 flights to seven, Miri to Kota Kinabalu from 10 flights to five and Miri to Johor Baru from three flights to two flights. — Bernama