KOTA KINABALU: MCA Sabah in supporting the state Government’s decision to relax the SOP for the Movement Control Order (MCO) pointed out that the state has the right to decide on what is best for the rakyat here.
Its Chief Lu Yen Tung in saying this pointed out that Sabah which is reffered to as a ‘territory’ has automous right and this means that the Chief Minister can implement a set of SOP that suits the state.
“What the National Security Council should have done was to issue a new set of SOP (for Sabah) after the Chief Minister’s announcement. This would have prevented the confusion on Tuesday about whether dine-in at eateries was allowed,” Lu said.
Many of the eateries operators had made the necessary preparations to welcome dine in customers, he said lamenting that it was sad and disappointing to see those who are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic suffer more because of the confusion.
MCA Sabah, he said, fully supports Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor’s recent announcement of the State Government’s decision to relax the COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
The relaxation of the SOP under Phase 1 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP), included allowing some economic sectors to operate and social activities to be held.
Lu also suggested that should the daily infection of Covid-19 in Sabah be less than 300 cases for seven consequtive days, the National Security Council can devolve its authority to the Chief Minister to implement more recovery plans that are appropriate for Sabah.
This is because only the state government understands which sectors are important for economic development of Sabah, he stressed.
Lu also suggested that the state government set up a ‘one stop centre’ to process and issue all the necessary documents required to reopen for business or for inter-district travel.
This he said will ease the burden of the rakyat as they no longer have to go from one place to another when they need to apply for the permits.
