MCO: Kuala Penyu's coastal villagers afraid to leave home

Balambangan island, located about 2 hours of boat ride from the mainland, is one of the areas in Kudat that has zero Covid-19 cases.

By Olivia Miwil - April 7, 2020 @ 11:54am

KUALA PENYU: Fear of contracting Covid-19 and running foul of the Movement Control Order (MCO) has left coastal villagers here confined largely to their homes, said Kuala Penyu assemblyman Datuk Limus Jury.

“They are scared of going out and prefer to stay at home instead. Even if they go out, it will be to somewhere near to run errands.

“The community leaders are also playing significant roles in monitoring the people’s movement and put up signage to stop people from coming to the district,” he told the New Straits Times.

Kuala Penyu, located about 50 kilometres from the state capital, is renowned for its Pulau Tiga, which was the setting of the first season of popular American TV series "Survivor".

While most of the locals work as fishermen and farmers, some ventured into the booming tourism industry before the Covid-19 crisis hit.

Limus said that besides having the police and the people’s volunteer corps at roadblocks enforcing the MCO, authorities are also limiting ferries and boats travelling between Menumbok and Labuan.

Kuala Penyu is still a green zone in Sabah – it has no Covid-19 infections – although the coastal area is near Beaufort, which has recorded nine cases.

Balambangan (an island off Kudat), which is about a two-hour boat trip from the mainland, is also Covid-19 free.

The island’s Community Development leader, Azmi Kaba, said the people, mostly fishermen, have their own fishing boats.

“A small number of them do still go fishing, but it is for their own consumption, as they cannot sell their catch during MCO.

“However, the village chief and I have to go back and forth between Balambangan island and Banggi island to get food aid for the people,” he said.

In Kudat, on the mainland, Kudat Homestay coordinator Datuk Cobra Jeffrey Ayah said members of the community are helping one another in terms of food supply.

“It is to prevent us from going out to buy food.

“Some also do farming for food supply, to help stretch our savings and maintain cash flow," said the tourism player, whose business has been badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Other green zone districts are Pitas, Kota Marudu, Beluran, Telupid, Tenom, Nabawan and Tongod.