Give time for MOH strategy to work instead of imposing EMCO - Sabah govt

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government said the Health Ministry's (MOH) strategies to curb COVID-19 in the state should be given time to produce positive outcomes and that a statewide Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) should only be imposed if the cases rise significantly.

Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said while the statewide EMCO is just one of several options the stakeholders have been looking at to curb the pandemic, the state government would only agree to such action if it's truly needed.

"At one time the number of cases was extremely high, and we considered options and EMCO is a stronger option. But today it seems like the numbers are going down.

"So, we believe that the MOH's current strategy is working, should be given reasonable time to make it work and we take it from there," he said at a press conference here last night.

Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah yesterday reported 972 new COVID-19 cases in the country, with Sabah continuing to record the highest number at 370.

On Saturday, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was reported as saying the National Security Council (MKN) would convene a technical meeting to decide whether there is a need to impose EMCO throughout Sabah.

Meanwhile, Masidi said three new Low-Risk COVID-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC) have been set up in Sabah, one each in Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran and Tenom.

He said the new Kota Kinabalu PKRC with 120 beds is located at the Kepayan Prison to cater to the needs of the prisoners while the Tuaran PKRC has 60 beds at Jabatan Sukarelawan Malaysia (RELA) Hall and the Tenom PKRC at the Tenom Community Hall has 48 beds.

"Altogether Sabah has 34 PKRC, 20 located in the west coast and 14 in the east coast," he said.

-- BERNAMA