KOTA KINABALU, Jan 29 — Non-Sabahan federal civil servants serving in the state and their dependents can now enter Sabah without applying for special permission.
The exemption which has been agreed to by the Sabah state government, however, is subject to several conditions, including having Restricted Travel Document (DPT) or Malaysian International Passport before entering Sabah.
Sabah Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said other conditions include using both documents to obtain the Section 66(1)(d) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 stamp at Sabah’s entry points and producing supporting documents such as letters confirming their posting in Sabah from their respective departments.
“Dependents, meanwhile, need to show proof of relationship with the officer before entering Sabah and are required to obtain the stamp or apply for a long-term social visit pass at the Immigration office after entering Sabah,” he said at a media conference here today.
Masidi, who is also the official state government spokesman on COVID-19, said the exemption also applied to diplomats and their dependents under the Exemption Order and their dependents.
He said for diplomats or embassy staff who do not posses passes or are entering the state for their first time, they need to obtain entry permission from the Immigration Department chief beforehand.
As for crew members of ships unrelated to the oil and gas sector, who enter the state to conduct ‘sign-on’ or ‘joint ship’ activities, they need to attach either their identification card or passport, a letter of guarantee from the Immigration Department and their seaman’s service book.
Meanwhile, Masidi said four schools in Sandakan have been ordered to close after several students and teachers tested positive for COVID-19.
The schools – Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Perempuan; SMK Batu Sapi; SMK Elopura Bestari; and SM St Mary – are closed for 10 days for sanitisation work.
In addition, Masidi said the state government also agreed to extend operating hours for sundry shops, convenience stores, mini markets, supermarkets, pharmacies, shops selling medicine, launderettes and optical shops to 10 pm.
“All these activities are subject to compliance of the standard operating procedure (SOP), including self-service launderettes, which have to ensure that an employee is at the premises to control the number of customers there and to ensure compliance of the SOP,” he said.
