EWON INVITES HAJIJI OVER COFFEE TO ENSURE RAKYAT THAT DINE-INS ARE ALLOWED

10 July 2021
By Wartawan Nabalu News
KOTA KINABALU: Kadamaian State Assemblyman Datuk Ewon Benedick has invited Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor over coffee at a restaurant to assure Sabahans that dine-in is allowed without having to worry about being compounded.
"Yesterday, the National Security Council (MKN) issued the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the second phase of the National Recovery Plan (NRP), but it did not state whether dine-in is allowed or not. It only states that restaurant-based business activities and the like are allowed to operate by take-aways, drive-throughs and deliveries.
"On June 28, the chief minister stated that dine-ins are allowed, but it was not stated in the recently issued SOPs. During this crisis, I think the people should not be burdened to interpret for themselves the SOPs issued yesterday. The people need something real and clear," he said in a statement today.
"Therefore, it would be better if I and the chief minister dine in at a restaurant together, perhaps with Sabah Police Commissioner as the chief enforcer of internal security laws, so that the people are more confident with his (the chief minister's) announcement.
"I would also like to invite the Chief Minister to meet me at the restaurant while discussing the issues and problems of Kadamaian constituents. We are showing a strong message to the Federal Government and the NSC that we can manage our state with our own autonomy," he said.
Ewon noted that the discussion on the SOP dine-in may seem small, but it reflects the State Government's political will on the larger issue of Sabah's autonomy.
He also commented on a WhatsApp quote of Minister of Housing and Local Government, Datuk Masidi Manjun who is also the State Government spokesperson on Covid-19 who stated that the people can interpret themselves the SOP issued by the NSC.
"To me, it must come from the Chief Administrator himself, the Chief Minister. He has issued an announcement but has not been endorsed by the NSC. So he should be able to make an assertion by going down to dine-in at a restaurant. That's why I invited him for 'kupi-kupi' at restaurants to convince the people, "said Ewon.
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