Wong King Wei: Organising RWMF2020 As Scheduled Puts Sarawakians’ Health At Risk

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Statement by Wong King Wei:

KUCHING: Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah should not allow this year’s Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) to go on as scheduled, said Padungan assemblyman Wong King Wei.

The Democratic Action Party (DAP) lawmaker said the ministry’s decision to allow RWMF 2020 to be carried out as scheduled had infringed the guidelines by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Sarawak Disaster Management Committee.

“The RWMF 2019 recorded about 23,000 visitors majority of whom came from foreign countries across the globe.

“Now with the threat of Covid-19 worldwide and Sarawak having recorded three positive cases so far, the MoH has advised against mass gatherings, Abdul Karim should put a stop to RWMF and not putting the health of Sarawakians at stake,” he said.

Wong asked how Abdul Karim and his ministry was going to observe the 14-day ban on those travelled from other countries if Sarawak allowed so many tourists coming to the city for the RWMF.

He also urged Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian, who is in charge of health matters, to advise Abdul Karim on what the latter’s ministry should do about this year’s RWMF following the threat of Covid-19.