DCM welcomes proposed full re-opening of country’s borders

Awang Tengah speaks at ‘Integrity and Innovation Day’ celebration of STIDC yesterday. – Photo by Chimon Upon

KUCHING (Feb 10): Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan has welcomed the suggestion of fully reopening the country’s borders by March 1.

At press conference yesterday, he said the timber industry had been badly affected in terms of logistics when the Movement Control Order (MCO) was first imposed at the height of Covid-19 pandemic.

“However, during the MCO, the state government had allowed certain sectors to operate and for the timber industry, we were allowed to import certain timber species to add value to the timber products available here,” he added,

Awang Tengah, who is also the Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development II and Minister of International Trade and Investment, is the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) Board of Management chairman.

He said full reopening of the country’s borders will allow international tourists to return to visit the state’s pristine national parks and wildfire sanctuaries.

Nonetheless, he remarked that he would leave the management of the pandemic and its standard operating procedures (SOPs) to State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) should the border’s restrictions are fully relaxed.

“At the same time, we need to constantly be aware of the community spread of Covid-19 and always adhere to the issued SOPs to prevent the pandemic from getting worse. All of us don’t want another around of lockdown again,” he said.

The press conference was held after he officiated ‘Integrity and Innovation Day’ of Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) at Wisma Sumber Alam, Petra Jaya yesterday.

The National Recovery Council (NRC) has suggested that the country’s borders to be fully opened to international travellers by March 1 but the proposal is still pending Cabinet approval.

from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3B8lwtL
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