COVID-19 UPDATES
COVID-19 UPDATES | Semadang Adventure
Dear Friends,
We are in this together and we hope that you are safe and healthy. As a response to the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) outbreak, the Government of Malaysia has imposed the Movement Control Order (MCO) effective on 18 March 2020 throughout the country in an attempt to curb the spread of infections through human interactions.
This consequently has led to disruptions in the operations of tours and activities in Kuching. However, we aim to stay connected to answer all your questions during this unprecedented pandemic.
Be safe and be well.
Doring Sengeng
Director
Semadang Borneo Adventure Sdn Bhd
Below is the latest update of what is happening in Kuching Sarawak, Malaysia.
The government has eased restrictions on recreation, you are allowed to take part in paddle sports either alone, with members of your household.
Ministry of Youth and Sports (Malaysia) has given the green light and space for the sports and recreation sector to reopen in compliance with the SOPs by KBS.
Once in the kayaking or cycling tour, customers aren’t required to wear a mask as these activities are considered to be an outdoor sport. However, guides and clients must maintain social distancing. Social distancing of 3 – 5 metres applies to everyone who wish to do outdoor activities.
Reference:
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Sarawak announced today (15 June 2020) that they welcome the reopening of Tourism, Arts and Culture sector during RMCO. The tourism activities including adventure tourism are allowed to to resume operation with full 100% capacity by complying to the SOPs and guidelines established by State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC).
Basic guidelines on social distancing, personal hygiene, temperature scanning, sanitization of public facilities should be observed. Staff, guests and contractors must download MySejahtera and COVIDTrace Sarawak apps to facilitate necessary contact tracing.
With the new SOP in place and adherence to best practices to handle tour operations, we are now prepared to receive guests under the new norm and hope we can play our part to keep up with the first stage of the domestic tourism recovery plan.
Reference:
Foreigners already in Malaysia before MCO can now enter Sarawak, no need for quaratine.
All foreign nationals including those with work permits and valid visas and participants of the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme who were already in Malaysia before the Movement Control Order (MCO) was imposed on March 18 are permitted to enter Sarawak without the need to undergo quarantine, effective today (12 June 2020).
The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) said, however, they must first seek permission from JPBN in order to do so.
“However, for foreign nationals in the same three categories who entered Malaysia during the MCO, they are allowed to enter Sarawak but must first apply to JPBN and must undergo 14 days of mandatory quarantine whereby all costs must be borne by themselves,” JPBN said in a statement here.
In other COVID-19 related developments, JPBN said sports and recreational activities will be re-allowed in the State from Wednesday subject to compliance to the prescribed standard operating procedures.
Also allowed to operate from the same day are beauty salons.
All these decisions were taken at a meeting between JPBN and the relevant authorities today, the statement added.
Reference:
Re-opening of Tourism Sector (RMCO)
We are entering a new phase for movement control order (MCO). Thanks to the decline in COVID-19 positive cases in Malaysia. The Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) issued by Malaysian Government would take effect from 10 June 2020 until 3 August 2020.
Under domestic tourism recovery plan, The Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture, YB Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Haji Shukri announced the reopening of the domestic tourism including the adventure tourism & activities.
The adventure activities & extreme sports will be reopened in compliance with strict standard operating procedures (SOP).
In the latest Sarawak Disaster Management Committee press statement (JPBN 124/2020), all economic sectors and social activities under RMCO will be allowed to resume starting 17 June 2020.
Reference:
Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced a Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) from 10th June 2020 to 31st August 2020, as Malaysia’s strategy in exiting the Movement Control Order. Under this new phase, interstate travel will be permitted, except for areas placed under Enhanced MCO (EMCO).
The Prime Minister of Malaysia Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin also informed that domestic tourism will be allowed and is encouraged. And at the same time, Almost all social, religious, business and educational activities are allowed to resume in stages under strict SOPs during the RMCO.
As new public safety guidelines are released, we are actively changing our operations to comply.
The current phase also called the conditional movement control order (CMCO), which comes with more relaxed rules, applies to the whole country from today onwards. Sarawak government will implement the conditional movement control order (MCO) as the Federal Government’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) for businesses to resume operations.
As of 28 April, the state’s tally of confirmed cases is 496 with Kuching has 165 active cases and Samarahan has 68.
The Movement Control Order has now entered its fourth phase, with the country now in the stage of recovery from the Covid-19 outbreak. Under this Phase 4 MCO, individuals who are out to buy groceries, medicine and other necessities are allowed to be accompanied by another member of the household. However, the conditions maintain that travel should be within a 10km radius from a person’s home.
The Sarawak state government introduced the contact tracing apps, COVIDTrace and Qmunity. These two apps are developed to trace individuals who have been within the vicinity of Covid-19 infection to curb this pandemic.
More info on https://covidtrace.sarawak.com.my/
The third phase of the Movement Control Order (MCO), which came into effect today, is seeing the resumption of operations of businesses in several industries listed as ‘essential services’. According to the gazette, a person is permitted to travel from one place to another within any infected local area only to:
- Purchase food, medicine, dietary supplements or daily necessities
- Supply or deliver food, medicine, dietary supplements or daily necessities
- Seek healthcare or medical services
- Procure any essential service other than those referred to in paragraphs (1) and (3)
- Perform any official duty
- Provide any essential service or perform any duty in relation to any essential service
However, their journey is restricted to a 10-kilometre radius from their respective homes, except for any special circumstance.
The latest rule also requires those returning from overseas to undergo health examination upon arrival in Malaysia before proceeding for Immigration clearance at any point of entry.
The Malaysian government has gazetted the Phase 2 Movement Control Order under Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases and will be implemented nationwide from 1 April – 14 April 2020. Only 10 essential services and their chains are allowed to operate during the MCO 2 period. These services are:
- Food
- Water
- Energy
- Communications and internet
- Safety and defence
- Solid waste management and public cleaning and sewerage
- Health and medical care including dietitians
- Banking and finance
- E-commerce
- Logistics that are limited to delivering essential goods and services
Movement Control Order
To comply with the Malaysian government movement control order (MCO), we have decided that it is in the best interest of our staff, customers, and wider community to close our adventure and camping activities to the public until we have the COVID-19 under control. This order will be implemented from 18 to 31 March 2020. All non-essential businesses and operations will cease to operate during this period except for health services, pharmacy, banking, supermarkets and other essential services. This order will also impose travel ban for Malaysian citizens and all tourist from entering Malaysia.
By temporarily closing, staying home, and encouraging others to do the same, we hope to do our part to slow the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus.
Read more on update on:
POSTPONEMENT & CANCELLATION
To postpone your trip, please contact us by email to schedule your trip. info@semadangkayak.com. There will be no fees for postponement.
Confirmed bookings for which we have received a deposit or full payment, we will process your cash refunds for interrupted trips as they get cancelled.
What if I cancel?
We will not charge any cancellation fees if you cancel your booking during MCO & RMCO phase where you are unable to enter Sarawak, Malaysia.
BOOKING TOURS
We accept booking for trip starting on 10 June 2020 (Phase 6 – RMCO). This is valid for Malaysians and tourists who has not traveled interstate or out of Malaysia since the phase 1 of MCO.
GUIDELINES TO ENTER KUCHING SARAWAK DURING RMCO [UPDATED 15 JUNE 2020]
- To enter Sarawak and specifically to Kuching, all Malaysian citizens & all foreign nationals including those with work permits and valid visas and Malaysia My Scond Home (MM2H) programme who have been in Malaysia before MCO 1 are allowed to enter Sarawak without the need to undergo quarantine.
- Foreign national and participants of MM2H programme as mentioned in (1), must seek permission from JPBN. Application link to SDMC (JPBN) as below:
- Travelers no longer required to undergo COVID-19 test three days before entering the state.
- All travelers entering Sarawak through various entry points including land, air and sea are required to download the MySejahtera app, fill in the E-Health Declaration form on the state government’s website, and are advised to download Sarawak’s COVID Trace and Qmunity apps.
- MySejahtera App (Apple Store, Google Play, Huawei AppGallery)
- Sarawak e-Health Declaration Form (https://ms.microweb.my/)
- COVID Trace app (Apple Store, Google Play)
- Qmunity app – location tracking app assisting the authorities to track movements of people for contact tracing if necessary
- All Sarawakians and all foreign national returning from abroad during MCO (starting March 18) will be required to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine at a hotel and will be screened for Covid-19 on the 10th day of quarantine. All the cost of quarantine will be borne by themselves.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE COVID-19 VIRUS
- Wash your hands frequently and carefully. Use warm water and antibacterial soap and rub your hands for at least 20 seconds.
- Wear a face mask. Masks can help prevent people who are asymptomatic or undiagnosed from transmitting SARS-CoV-2 when they breathe, talk, sneeze, or cough.
- Take physical (social) distancing seriously. Maintaining a distance of approximately 1 meter from others in public places since respiratory droplets produced by coughing or sneezing do not travel more than 1 meter.
- Avoid touching your face or head, including your mouth, nose, and eyes. This can give Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) a chance to go from your hands into your body.
- Practice good hygiene and avoid touching other people. Stop shaking hands and hugging people.
- Don’t share personal items. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 75% alcohol if you have to reuse other people items.
- Self-quarantine if sick. Call your doctor if you have any symptoms. Stay home until you recover. Wear a mask and wash your hands as much as possible.
- Keep up to date on the latest information from trusted sources, such as WHO or your local and national health authorities. Why? Local and national authorities are best placed to advise on what people in your area should be doing to protect themselves.