SANDAKAN – Mini bus drivers here have been ordered to undergo COVID-19 tests at the Sandakan Community Hall tomorrow.
Sabah Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) chairman Datuk Chin Kim Hiung said the Sandakan CVLB Office issued the directive following a request from the Sandakan Health Office today.
“All mini bus operators are required to take the COVID-19 swab test conducted by the Sandakan Health Office without fail from 9 am tomorrow.
“They are advised to make the necessary arrangements to avoid action taken against them under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342), Police Act 1967 and Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020,” he said in a statement here.
Chin said the Sandakan CVLB would also assist mini bus drivers to obtain the MySejahtera QR code for them to monitor their passengers, adding that similar assistance would be extended to taxi drivers and school bus operators.
“There are still some drivers who have yet to register for the QR code, either they did not see the necessity for it or they do not know how to do it. Sandakan CVLB office will help them on the matter,” he added.
Chin reminded all passengers, drivers and workers in the public transport sector such as bus, taxi and e-hailing services on the compulsory wearing of face masks, usage of hand sanitisers before and after boarding public transport vehicles, observing physical distancing and reducing the permissible passenger capacity to 50 per cent.
Symptomatic passengers are not allowed to board public transport vehicles, he added.
Public transport operators are also reminded to ensure cleanliness of their vehicles and facilities after each trip and at the end of operational hours at the terminal or depot, he said.
Meanwhile, Sandakan Mini Bus Association chairman Mohd Harun Ramli confirmed receiving the directive and said that more than 300 bus drivers would be involved in the test tomorrow.
He said the bus drivers, including committees of each bus route in Sandakan, had been informed of the matter and would be giving full cooperation by obeying the directive.
— BERNAMA
