Sabahans voice mixed feelings over possible EMCO implementation

 By Olivia Miwil - November 8, 2020 @ 10:57am

Lano Lan, 47, should have gone for harvesting honey in Sipitang but putting the plan on hold due to CMCO. - NSTP/ courtesy of Lan Lano

KOTA KINABALU: Sabahans have expressed mixed feelings over the possibility of the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) being implemented here.

Yesterday, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in Sabah will be extended by another month until Dec 6.

He had also said that a special technical meeting will be held tomorrow on whether to implement the EMCO in Sabah.

Lano Lan, 47, from Kiulu, near here, is hoping the government will not decide to impose a blanket ban on movement, but instead consider targeted movement restrictions.

"For instance, the high number of cases in Kota Kinabalu is attributed to the prison and detention centre.

"Therefore, the community, especially those who must travel for work (apart from essential services), should not be 'punished' based on Covid-19 cases in certain localities (only)," he said.

Lano said that the month-long state-wide CMCO, which will be extended by another month, is already affecting the livelihoods of many people, including himself.

He said he and his team are supposed to travel to Sipitang this month, about three hours from here, to collect honey. This trip is now in doubt. He has also put on hold his tourism-related initiatives because of the inter-district travel ban.

"For myself, I still have some savings to sustain my family. But, what about those daily wagers, especially in the urban areas?

"Not all of them would be given food baskets, nor do they have Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) accounts to withdraw money from," he said, referring to the 2021 Budget which allows those who lost their jobs to withdraw RM500 monthly from their EPF Account 1.

For mother-of-two Peterina Peter, 31, it doesn't matter whether the government decides to prolong the CMCO or impose the EMCO – as long as she can still leave home to buy basic necessities for her family.

"With the high number of cases in Sabah, it is really scary to go out or work as we never know who might infect us.

"But if the EMCO is meant to curb the further spread of infections, especially due to social gatherings, let it be implemented," she said.

Yesterday, Sabah recorded 616 new cases, with Tawau, Sandakan and Kota Kinabalu leading the tally at 183, 150, and 129 cases, respectively.

There are 59 active clusters with 3,233 patients still receiving treatment at hospitals and low-risk treatment centres.

The state has 14 red zones, two orange zones and 10 yellow zones.