Self-test mulled to enter Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Covid-19 Disaster Management Committee is mulling to include Covid-19 self-test as entry requirement for individuals travelling to Sabah, said Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun.
Individuals from West Malaysia and Sarawak are currently required to undergo RT-PCR or RTK-Ag tests in three days before entering Sabah, aside from being fully vaccinated. Those from Labuan do not need to undertake RT-PCR or RTK-Ag tests in order to enter the state.
When asked the reasons for different entry requirements, Masidi said the Covid-19 situation in Sabah remained unstable as the daily cases kept fluctuating like a yo-yo.
“I think the number of cases has not reached a level where we have the confidence to allow everyone to enter Sabah without conditions aside from them being fully vaccinated,” he said to the media after officiating at the opening of the first Kojasa Mart at Suria Inanam commercial centre here on Thursday.
However, Masidi, who is Sabah’s Covid-19 spokesperson, said the State Covid-19 Disaster Management Committee constantly strived to ease the travel requirements.
“For instance, I have requested the committee to consider allowing Covid-19 self-test as a requirement to enter Sabah yesterday. This is currently under consideration,” he said.
Kojasa Mart, known for its affordable prices of daily essentials, is returning to the Sabah retail scene to help consumers and entrepreneurs alike, thanks to Qhazanah Sabah Berhad (QSB), the State Government’s strategic investment arm.
Kojasa Mart operated under the purview of Kojasa Holdings Berhad (Kojasa), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of QSB. It intends to open another outlet at Anjung Selera by year end to fulfil its mission in providing consumers with affordably priced daily essentials with the tagline ‘Beli Banyak, Bayar Sikit’.
With a more prominent presence around Sabah, Kojasa Mart also aims to become a supplier and wholesaler for small sundry businesses in Sabah’s suburban and rural areas.
Kojasa Mart has also made it its mission to help Sabahans by creating a platform for local entrepreneurs to market their products.
To power its operations, Kojasa Mart will be harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) at its outlets to monitor and update stock as well as keep track of what items are sellable.
And through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) inked between Kojasa Holdings Berhad and Epost Sabah last April, Kojasa Mart will be centralising its operations without the need for middlemen in its business supply chain.
The Kojasa Mart outlet at Suria Inanam covers an area of 2,100 square feet and features 600 stock keeping units (SKUs). Among the items to be sold at the outlet include 10-kilogramme rice packs under the Beras Kojasa brand.
Meanwhile, to support Kojasa Mart operation, Kojasa through its own delivery service provider, Kojax Sdn Bhd (Kojax) will be operating to cater the Kojasa Mart customers’ order delivery within 20-kilometre radius from the outlet.
Also present at the opening ceremony were QSB chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Salleh Said Keruak, Kojasa Holdings Berhad chairman Dato’ Baror @ Baharul Sawi, QSB director Datuk Dr Johnson Tee, executive director Hj Mohd Shukor Abdul Mumin, Group chief executive officer Ahmad Rizal Dahli, QSB chief human capital officer Sh Abdullah Sh Along, directors of Kojasa Holdings Berhad Datuk Amelia Ajun and Shamsuddin Erang, Kojasa Trading Sdn Bhd chairman Haji Yahya Haji Ahamd, Kojasa Trading Sdn Bhd director John Marigil and Angkatan Hebat Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Haji Faez Ainstein Nordin.
I think the number of cases has not reached a level where we have the confidence to allow everyone to enter Sabah without conditions aside from them being fully vaccinated.
Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun