Deputy CM: Borders on high alert following tip-off on locals smuggling undocumented Indonesians into Sarawak
KUCHING, Oct 15 — Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Masing today warned Sarawakians involved in smuggling undocumented Indonesians who could be potential carriers of Covid-19 to stop.
“We take the actions of these irresponsible people seriously and we will throw the book at them without hesitation,” he said when asked to comment on a statement issued by DAP Serian chairman Brolin Nicholsion who had earlier today claimed that Indonesian illegal immigrants are being smuggled into the state through Serian with the help of locals.
Masing, who is also the chairman of the border security subcommittee of the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), urged locals to take the threat posed by the Covid-19 pandemic seriously.
He said the state government is aware of the drastic increase of Covid-19 cases in Indonesia, including Kalimantan, which poses a serious threat to Sarawak.
He said the border committee has ordered for all the entry points along the border with Kalimantan to close until December 31.
“We have tried our best to seal our border, but some Indonesian illegal immigrants with positive Covid-19, did manage to sneak in with the assistance of locals,” he said.
SDMC chairman Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said he has already directed the military and the general operations force (GOF) to beef up their manpower along the border.
Nicholsion, who is also Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen’s political assistant in a statement earlier had urged the state government to beef up security at the state's border, especially in Serian Division, to prevent the entry of any illegal immigrants.
“There are some reports from the people of Serian to DAP Serian that there are still illegal movements beyond the border through uncharted routes.
“Some had claimed that illegal immigrants were smuggled in by locals who were suspected to have been paid handsomely,” he claimed.
He called on the state government to investigate the matter and put more armed forces personnel to patrol the areas, especially at illegal routes.
“The local people are worried because most of the illegal immigrants are from Indonesia which has 344,749 cases recorded so far.
“We urge the government to seriously look into illegal immigrants being smuggled into the state,” he said.
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