Strictly comply with COVID-19 SOPs for business continuity, says Labuan senator

LABUAN: Labuan Senator Datuk Bashir Alias has reminded all consumers and the business community to strictly comply with the COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) despite allowing some relaxations to ensure the continuity of public health, well-being and business sectors.

He said there should be no space for carelessness or complacency and that a single mistake would have a far-reaching impact and weaken the fight against the pandemic.

"Labuan's battle against the COVID-19 pandemic is still in progress with full vigour, steady vaccination rollout and continuous testing, so we must sound a note of caution to the consumers and industry players against any complacency," he told Bernama today.

Bashir said with the COVID-19 infection numbers in Labuan receding in recent months, people seemed more inclined to venture out and may, inadvertently, put their guard down.

"Everyone must remember the threat of COVID-19 is far from over, as many other states are seeing a surge in infections," he said.

Bashir said the aim should not be to instil fear but to remind people to keep taking all possible precautions so that the island is able to move beyond this pandemic.

"As communities start to reopen, we will likely see future outbreaks and clusters of viral transmission, which could cause the number of COVID-19 cases to increase again.

"That is because the coronavirus is contagious, each person who catches it infects, on average, about two other people, and some infect many more.

"Many people who are infected with the virus do not have symptoms and can unknowingly infect another person who could become very sick," he said.

Bashir also said that until the vaccination rollout is completed, despite businesses open, precautions should be taken so that employees and customers do not get infected or spread COVID-19.

Labuan has entered Phase 4 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP), the first in the country to do so.

Following the transition, the National Security Council has approved the relaxations on the mandatory quarantine for individuals and ship crew entering Labuan, which was proposed by Labuan Disaster Management Committee (LDMC).

On the SOPs for ship crew, LDMC chairman Rithuan Ismail said they (ship crews) are encouraged to get vaccinated and undergo RT-PCR tests at the last port of call before departure.

Shipowners operating in domestic waters must declare that their crew members are free from COVID-19 symptoms within 14 days, and within 21 days for ships operating in international waters.

He said no restrictions are imposed on the sign-on and sign-off of Malaysian crew members working on Malaysian registered vessels.

"There will be no quarantine order to arriving crew provided that their RT-PCR test results return negative," Rithuan added.

-- BERNAMA