KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — The federal government’s decision allowing five states but not Sabah to transit into a more relaxed phase of the lockdown has caused “confusion and anxiety” among those from the Borner state, its former chief minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak said today.
In a brief statement on his official Facebook page, Salleh said he shared the joy of the states that will move into Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) from July 5, but was at the same time puzzled as to why Sabah was not accorded the same status.
“I was overjoyed to hear five states in peninsular Malaysia were allowed to enter Phase Two of the NRP. But I am left puzzled as I have not heard about SOPs for Sabah for quite some time.
“This has caused confusion and anxiety that should not have happened. Hope that the federal government will take note and please respect the requests from us in Sabah,” the Usukan assemblyman said.
Earlier today federal minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that Kelantan, Perak, Pahang, Perlis, and Terengganu, would transition from Phase One to Phase Two of the NRP starting Monday.
This after the five states reported low daily case averages, a controlled situation at its Intensive Care Units, and with at least 10 per cent of its population vaccinated, satisfying all the required thresholds to transition out of Phase of the NRP.
According to statistics shared by the government earlier today, Sabah is on its way towards transitioning into Phase Two, but fell short of the requirements with only 7.8 per cent of its population having received the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, short of the required 10 per cent threshold.
