KOTA KINABALU: With Sabah’s inter-district travel ban announced just two days before its implementation on Saturday (Oct 3), many are wondering about the finer details of the ban.
How will travel from one district to another be affected for people who live in one district and work in another, for example from Penampang to Kota Kinabalu, which is less than 30 minutes apart.
According to Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali, residents from Kota Kinabalu, Penampang and Putatan could travel within the three districts without any restriction under the inter-district travel ban.
He said only residents from the three districts were not subject to the inter-district travel restriction, which takes effect from 12.01am on Oct 3 until Oct 16.
There are 36 districts in Sabah, including Kota Kinabalu city and the two municipal councils of Sandakan and Tawau.
Comm Hazani said police and health authorities, among others, were still looking into a mechanism for a smooth implementation of the inter-district travel restriction.
Meanwhile, Penampang police chief DSP Haris Ibrahim said residents from Papar and Kinarut who wished to enter Penampang or Putatan would be turned back.
He said only those with proper permits from the authority would be allowed to enter.
“Those who live in Kinarut or Papar, but are working in Putatan have to provide verification letters from their employers as proof,” he said.
On Thursday (Oct 1), Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the ban in Sabah on inter-district travel from Oct 3-Oct 16.
However, he did not elaborate on how the ban would be implemented. -The Star