The Malaysian Insight

AUTHORITIES in Sabah have lifted an enhanced movement control order (EMCO) in force on Kg Baru Pasir Putih in Tawau following angry protests by villagers.

About 300 frustrated residents staged a noisy protest on Tuesday night against the extension of the EMCO in their village, which has seen them locked in for almost a month now.

This is the second village in the area to have staged a protest against the EMCO, which would have run until May 12. The village was first locked down on April 1.

Last week, residents of Kg Muhibbah Raya protested against the EMCO extension because they wanted their concerns to be heard, saying that the extension was decided without taking into account the situation and difficulties the residents faced.

The Health Ministry made the call for the EMCO extension as new cases continued to turn up in the locked down area.

Kg Baru Pasir Putih resident Sunarti Nordin, 43, told The Malaysian Insight the peaceful protest took place after the breaking of fast and lasted for about an hour.

Sunarti said villagers demanded that the authorities reconsider the extension as the strict lockdown has been enforced for almost a month, affecting their lives.

She said the villagers, who are mostly self-employed with some working in shops in the city, have now lost their income.

Sunarti said she is now surviving with the help of relatives living outside the quarantined area to deliver food to her.

“I opened a shop selling women’s handbags at UTC Tawau Sabah, but since the EMCO I have not been able to do business for a month, there is no income at all.

“Yet, we have to pay water and electricity bills, and we have other commitments as well, especially for our children, who are in school.

“Now our family is relying on our brother living in another village to send us food. He will just put it on the fence, but not always because he has to work as well.

“That’s why the people were very angry with the extension. We have been in this situation for too long, our lives are very difficult now,” she said.

She said she received food aid twice but it was not enough for her family of five. She said it was more upsetting that the lockdown was enforced during Ramadan and before Aidilfitri.

“The aid was provided twice, the first time when the EMCO was announced, and again after two weeks, but it’s not enough. We finished our food after two or three days.

“In this holy month, we need to rest before dawn. How do we prepare for Aidilfitri? There is no way we can buy new clothes for the children,” she said.

She added that even though one family member is allowed to go out to the city to buy basic necessities, the time limit is only for three hours.

“It takes one hour to commute,” she said.

“We don’t have transport and the bus journey is 30 minutes. Added to which, it is 20 minutes’ walk to the bus station.

“Waiting for the bus is also a problem, because sometimes we have to wait for an hour.”

She also wanted to know why the EMCO had been extended when the information they received stated that the number of new cases has dropped.

“That day, there were residents who protested in another village, but we thought there was no need to protest.

“We waited because we thought it would be over, but when we heard it was extended, we cried. We cried because we didn’t know how to continue living,” she said.

On Tuesday, the government announced it would extend the EMCO in the locality for another two weeks starting tomorrow until May 12.

Kg Baru Pasir Putih was first subject to EMCO from April 1 to April 14, before the order was extended to April 28, and now to May 12.

The Kg Baru Pasir Putih cluster in Tawau was detected on March 27, following a wedding ceremony.

The Ministry of Health screened 847 people in the village and recorded 68 positive cases, with 441 samples still being tested.

Village head Rahman Suarli, 65, said he understood why villagers acted in such a manner. He said the protest, which was joined by about 300 villagers, was peaceful where they demanded the authorities to give them flexibility in all aspects to facilitate daily affairs.

“The protest is because they are not satisfied because this EMCO has been around for a month. That’s why they’re so angry, because it affects their lives, they cannot work.

“If you follow the EMCO in Kg Baru Pasir Putih, it has been too long, even though other places have had their order terminated. So that’s why we were wondering,” he said.

Last Saturday, villagers from Kg Muhibbah Raya protested against the EMCO extension, which saw seven villagers, including activists, arrested. – April 28, 2021.