KUCHING, Dec 5 — State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) acting chairman Tan Sri James Masing clarified today that Julau Member of Parliament Larry Sng only enclosed and submitted his RT-PCR test and complete required documentation on his fifth attempt of applying to return to Sarawak.
He said Sng was then granted approval to enter Sarawak with exemption from quarantine.
“SDMC has investigated his application and found that he had applied a total of five times, three of which were rejected due to insufficient documentation.
“While another time, the system had approved his applications with the condition for him to undergo quarantine and not for exemption as his application was not furnished with an RT-PCR test result,” Masing said when responding to Sng’s post on Facebook last night.
Sng, who is also state PKR chief, had expressed his disappointment with SDMC for rejecting his applications to return to Sarawak for the weekend from Kuala Lumpur where he is attending the current Parliament.
He said he really did not understand how SDMC operated, adding that an MP friend and he had both applied online around the same time to return to Sarawak this weekend.
“His application was successful after several attempts and he was allowed to enter Sarawak without quarantine,” Sng wrote.
“However, when I applied, they requested me to undergo a 14(-day) quarantine upon arrival in Sarawak,” he said, adding that his request to enter the state was rejected when he re-submitted his application.
“It was rejected a total of three times. Unbelievable,” he said, adding: “Too much politics in and worst still using Covid-19 as a political tool. Disgraceful.”
He confirmed to Malay Mail that he is now allowed to enter Sarawak with exemption from the 14-day quarantine.
Masing, who is also the deputy chief minister, said Members of Parliament fall under the essential service list where they would be exempted from quarantine with conditions.
“Sng’s application was incomplete in which it was stated in the decline page that he did not submit his rT-PCR test result in the application.
“SDMC has enforced and made- it compulsory for those intending to enter Sarawak to apply through Enter-Sarawak and E-Health Declaration to safeguard the state during this pandemic,” he said.
He said for Members of Parliament from Sarawak attending the parliament sitting, a special SOP to exempt them from quarantine was implemented to allow them to better serve their constituents and people.
He said for essential service to be exempted, the MPs will have to undergo a rT-PCR Covid-19 test and receive a negative result.
“They will have to also attach their official work letter and personal identification to complete the application process,” he said, adding that the MPs are also required to swab for Covid-19 before the Parliament sitting.
