KOTA KINABALU, June 3 — The state government’s decision to open all entry gates to Sabah is aimed at reviving the economic sector which is affected following the Covid-19 pandemic since the movement control order (MCO) was introduced on March 18.
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, however, said the permission was subject to the level of health of the individual who would need a letter of confirmation letter from the Ministry of Health that they were free of the Covid-19 virus.
“Previously, we did not encourage them to come (to Sabah) no matter whether they were positive or negative (Covid-19) but now, we are allowing them whether for business, to teach, look for jobs, civil servants and non civil servants or for holiday, it’s up to them, what’s important is that we need to know if they are positive or negative Covid -19,” he said.
He said this to reporters after launching the SabahTrace application at the Sabah State Administrative Centre here today.
Mohd Shafie said the gradual approach would help to regenerate demand in the hotel sector and simultaneously help generate income for the e-hailing, agriculture and the eco-systems other sectors involved since business operations were allowed on May 9.
On the SabahTrace application, Mohd Shafie said 4,446 premises in the state had been registered as of June 2 after it was introduced on May 18 and recording 267,775 entry registrations using the application.
He said users would have to fill in their names, phone numbers and body temperature through the application each time they entered premises using the QR code and the user’s information would be stored in the app for a month.
He said the application developed by the state Digital Government Division was part of an effort to improve contact detection capabilities (Covid-19) through digital technology and data analysis.
In a related development, Mohd Shafie said under the state government’s “Sabah We Care Covid-19” package, RM158,409,586 was donated to 760,454 recipients comprising various agencies, departments and ministries impacted by the MCO and the conditional movement control order (CMCO). — Bernama
