Sabah travelers to Sarawak must take COVID-19 PCR test 3 days before departure

Malaysians flying into Sarawak from Penang will also be randomly tested for Covid-19 upon arrival. AFP via The Straits Times/Asia News Network

KUCHING — All visitors entering Sarawak from Sabah will be required to take a Covid-19 PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test three days before their departure, said Sarawak deputy chief minister Douglas Uggah.

Datuk Uggah said visitors must also complete an online form called Enter Sarawak and provide supporting documents for their visits.

This directive, which takes effect on Sept 21 (Monday), comes after a spike in Covid-19 cases in Sabah, especially in the Tawau and Lahad Datu districts.

Mr Uggah also said Malaysians flying into Sarawak from Penang will be randomly tested for Covid-19 upon arrival at Kuching International Airport.

He said Sarawakians returning from overseas would continue to be quarantined at their first point of entry into the state.

In addition, Sarawakians who need to travel frequently to Brunei and Sabah for work must obtain a letter from their respective divisional disaster management committees in Miri and Limbang districts.

“They are also required to undergo a Covid-19 test every two weeks, besides observing the Health Ministry’s standard operating procedures (SOPs),” Mr Uggah said at the state disaster management committee’s briefing on Friday.

For foreign workers in the construction and plantation sectors as well as foreign students, he said they would be allowed to enter Sarawak by applying to the committee on a case-by-case basis.

They also need to have valid work or student permits and fill in the Enter Sarawak form online.

“The cost of their 14-day quarantine and two Covid-19 tests will be borne by the company, institution or the students themselves.

“The company or institution must provide transport to bring them from the point of entry to the quarantine centre,” Mr Uggah said.

He also said Sarawak was now a green zone for the last 20 days after no new locally transmitted cases were detected.

No new cases were reported on Friday (Sept 18), with the state’s tally of confirmed cases remaining at 701.

“Although Sarawak’s status is now green, we have not won the war yet. We should not be complacent and we must continue to comply with the SOP to curb the spread of Covid-19,” Mr Uggah said.