KUALA LUMPUR – The total number of Orang Asli who have agreed to receive a Covid-19 vaccine has increased to 26,469, which was about 11,000 more from two weeks ago, said Deputy Rural Development Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad.
He said the roughly 40% increment followed the setting up of the Orang Asli Development Department’s (Jakoa) Covid-19 Task Force on June 4 with the aim of encouraging members of indigenous communities to register as vaccine recipients.
“To date, about 103,428 Orang Asli have received the manual registration form and from the total, 58,291 Orang Asli have submitted their forms,” he told a media conference after inspecting a vaccination centre (PPV) for Orang Asli at Gombak Orang Asli Hospital today.
During the visit, 60 Orang Asli in Selangor comprising 27 tok batin as well as 33 senior citizens and persons with disabilities received their Pfizer vaccine jabs at the PPV.
Commenting further on the registration of Orang Asli as vaccine recipients, Rahman said the acceptance of vaccine shots among the tok batin boosted the confidence of the community to register.
“We will continue to raise vaccination awareness among them and as such we have promoted their icon, the tok batin, who got vaccinated earlier today… I am confident the tok batin will play an important role in getting more members of the community to register,” he said.
In this regard, Rahman said the ministry has planned to move into Orang Asli villages to assist the Health Ministry (MoH) in dispensing Covid-19 vaccines as called by the tok batin.
“The ministry is working to provide clear information and fend off inaccurate information on Covid-19 vaccination on social media among the rural community,” he said.
Meanwhile, the tok batin of Kg Tun Abdul Razak in Kuala Kubu Baru, Hulu Selangor, Asu Dollah who received his shot today said he felt more confident in warding off Covid-19 infection after getting the jab.
“I will explain to the people in the village not to be afraid to receive the vaccine and not to believe the myths on WhatsApp,”.
Another tok batin in Kg Kuala Pangsun in Hulu Langat, Selangor, Andak Pendek said he was really looking forward to the vaccine injection because he often meets people and goes out to town for his daily activities.
According to a Jakoa report, a total of 82 Orang Asli have been infected with Covid-19 in the country, while the community recorded deaths to date. – Bernama, June 20, 2021
