BY SULOK TAWIE

KUCHING, Jan 20 — Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian today expressed alarm that 23 individuals who tested positive for Covid-19 cannot be contacted by the Sibu Health Department.

He said the patients from Sibu could not be contacted following their PCR screening.

“Though so far we have protected the identities of individuals at all costs, we may be forced to publish their names in the interest of public safety (including themselves so they are not at risk of new phenomenon as in West Malaysia: “Brought In Dead”, or risking their families and friends),” he said on his Facebook post.

Dr Sim, who is also the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) adviser, said he had spoken to Sibu and Miri hospitals, telling medical frontliners they are indispensable human resources that cannot be replaced overnight in the war against Covid-19.

He said he shared with them lessons from the Sarawak General Hospital during the first wave of the pandemic.

In another post, Dr Sim urged everyone, including government agencies, local communities, the business community, policy makers, to go the extra mile in carrying out their roles.

“Let’s sacrifice, let’s suffer together now, let’s show our solidarity and united efforts to the war with Covid-19.

“Otherwise, we will be like Sabah in terms of cases and deaths every day,” he said, adding Sarawak’s fate is in its own hands.

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