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KOTA KINABALU – Only 8.2% of Sabahans have registered for the Covid-19 vaccine jabs as of yesterday, and the small figure has Sabah DAP secretary Chan Foong Hin worried.
The Kota Kinabalu MP, in citing official figures, said even Sarawak has managed to register more at 21.2%.
“In Putrajaya, 69.5% of the people have registered for the vaccine. Even in Sarawak, 21.2% of the population has registered.
“Sabah’s 8.2% is the lowest in the country, even lower than Kelantan at 11.8%, which I find very concerning,” Chan said in a statement today.
Chan said the number of those vaccinated in Sarawak was also higher, with 32,028 people getting the jab compared with 30,433 in Sabah, adding that the authorities must step up efforts to register more people in the state for the inoculation.
“I don’t think it is due to any anti-vaccine movement. The authorities ought to do something serious about it and start going down to the ground to register these people,” he said.
On February 26, Sarawak Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg was the first to receive the jab in Sarawak, while Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor received his on March 4.
“Both GRS and GPS are PN components parties and are part of the ruling government at the federal level.
“As such, there is no reason why the people of Sabah should not be given at least equal priority as the people of Sarawak,” he said.
Chan had suggested in Parliament during the debate for Budget 2021 last year that Sabahans be given priority for Covid-19 vaccinations as it had been the epicentre of the third Covid-19 wave in Malaysia.
“Even though Sabah recorded 29 cases yesterday, the lowest since September, it doesn’t mean that we should feel complacent with the current situation. It is always better to prevent than to cure.”
Chan said Sabah DAP reps have been actively setting up booths to assist the government in encouraging and helping the public to register for Covid-19 vaccinations.
“In this regard, DAP supports the government’s initiative in registering as many people as possible for the vaccine.
“I hope that this GRS-led state government can acknowledge that we in the opposition can assist, too, and come out with a ‘whole of society’ approach in dealing with the low vaccine uptake rate in Sabah by allowing us to help officially.” – The Vibes, March 16, 2021
