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KUCHING (April 13): Sarawak is well prepared and equipped to receive visitors from Indonesia once its government opens its borders, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

He said even though Malaysia has opened its border since April 1, Indonesia has not yet opened theirs.

Uggah, who is also Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development, said if the pre-pandemic era is to be taken into account, 400 plus visitors from Indonesia crossed the Tebedu-Entikong border on a daily basis then.

“We expect more than 400 daily visitors from Indonesia to enter Tebedu once they allow their citizens to travel here. However, we are well prepared in terms of facilities and manpower to control the spread of Covid-19,” he said when met at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex (ICQS) complex in Tebedu near Serian today.

Uggah also said Sarawak will be beefing up its immigration manpower at the ICQS if need be in the future so that efficiency will not be compromised.

He reasoned it would not be good for visitors to wait for the various ICQS services for longer than necessary since it operates from 9am to 3pm daily.

From April 1 to 12, a total of 463 visitors from the Indonesian side including medical tourists, those with work permits and student passes, permanent residents and seamen had entered Sarawak, he said.

Uggah also mentioned that Singapore had opened its border, and thus far the two countries (Malaysia and Singapore) had not faced any major problems or issues except for one particular traveller who was tested positive for Covid-19.

Uggah, who is also Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairman, said the committee today registered 295 new Covid-19 cases, indicating that generally the trend of daily cases was going downward.

Among those present during the visit to Tebedu ICQS complex were Deputy State Secretary Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik, Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn and State Immigration Director Datu Ken Leben.

Source: https://www.theborneopost.com/2022/04/13/uggah-sarawak-prepared-for-indonesia-to-open-its-borders/