KOTA KINABALU, Oct 13 — Restricting the people’s movements would make it difficult for Sabah to transit to the endemic phase of Covid-19 and hamper the state’s economic recovery, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

He said this was in view of the declining Covid-19 daily cases with people starting to go out more to begin the economic recovery phase.

Hence, the government was always finding the best ways to balance the state and people’s economic interest with the priority of ensuring safety and protecting the people’s lives, he said.

"The government has tried its best to increase the vaccination rate…even due to the safety factor, the people’s movements should not be restricted for too long, especially if they have been fully vaccinated.

"Looking at the comments made by netizens on social media, many grumbled over allowing interstate and interdistrict travel in Sabah,” he said in his Facebook post today.

The state government is allowing cross-state travel from November 1 and interdistrict travel beginning tomorrow with certain conditions set.

Hajiji hoped that the permission given could speed up the state’s economic recovery, hence providing an opportunity for the people to live like before albeit under the new norms. — Bernama