MIRI – Sarawak leaders may have made a mistake in rejecting the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine offered free by Putrajaya.
Netizens have taken to social media to question why state leaders did not accept the offer, and later allowed Sarawakians to volunteer for the AstraZeneca jabs.
“The state government should not have outright rejected the AstraZeneca vaccine. It may turn out to be a bad decision as it was offered free by the federal government.
“Every type of vaccine has its risks, but the AZ will be useful for those who want it willingly," said netizen David Bakit.
Another social media user named Sabani Yunus was also left puzzled by the move.
“Should have just taken them since Khairy gave it to us. Stock it in Sarawak and if there is not enough of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Sinovac (vaccines), offer Sarawakians the option whether they want to get the AstraZeneca or not,” he said referring, to the national vaccination programme’s coordinating minister, Khairy Jamaluddin.
Should have just taken them since Khairy gave it to us. Stock it in Sarawak and if there is not enough of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Sinovac (vaccines), offer Sarawakians the option whether they want to get the AstraZeneca or not.
Sarawak leaders had last week rejected the AstraZeneca offer when state Disaster Management Committee chairman Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas met Khairy in Putrajaya.
A Parti Sarawak Bersatu (PSB) branch chief had said Sarawakians should have been given freedom of choice.
Bruce Chai, PSB chief of the Pujut branch here, felt that if the AstraZenaca vaccine was readily available, the Sarawak authorities should have accepted the doses and let the people decide if they want it.
“I would personally sign up for the AstraZeneca vaccine. The Sarawak government should not have rejected the offer,” he said in a statement.
Chai, who is also former Miri city councillor, felt that the AstraZeneca jabs would have been an advantage to Sarawak in the event the state cannot secure enough doses of the other Covid-19 vaccines.
“The benefits of the AZ vaccine outweigh the risk. For those healthy and willing to accept the AZ vaccine, there should be freedom of choice.”
Chai is touted as the proposed PSB candidate for the Pujut state constituency in the next 12th state polls. PSB is an independent opposition party in Sarawak.
Its president is Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh, a former state finance minister. PSB has six seats in the Sarawak assembly, whose term will expire on June 7. – The Vibes, May 3, 2021
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