KOTA KINABALU – Sabah opposition leaders have blamed overcrowding at Covid-19 vaccination centres on the state government’s decision to allow walk-ins for both citizens and non-citizens.
They criticised this move by saying that Sabahans should be vaccinated first.
Former state agriculture and food industry minister Datuk Junz Wong said that there were still thousands of locals who had yet to receive their jabs.
“Is it right for undocumented migrants to get the same treatment as Sabahans, while many Sabahans have yet to receive their shots,” said Wong.
In a move to hasten the immunisation programme in Sabah, the state government announced yesterday that it is allowing walk-ins at all Covid-19 vaccination centres (PPVs) statewide.
State Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said this is open for citizens and non-citizens who are qualified for vaccination, but who have yet to get their jabs.
Following the announcement of the new procedures congestion was reported at several PPVs namely at Sembulan, Sandakan and the Sabah International Convention Centre, in Putatan.
Wong, who is Warisan vice-president and Tg Aru assemblyman, said authorities should segregate those who turn up for the walk-ins.
“For instance, those who already registered and scheduled for the jab via the MySejahtera app should be put into one group, while those who are unregistered should be put into another group.”
Former Sabah youth and sports minister Phoong Jin Zhe said the government should take serious action against the surge of Covid-19 infections in the state.
Daily infections hit a new high of 2,052 yesterday.
The Luyang state assemblyman said that the fact that the state has relaxed its standard operating procedures despite the high number of cases has made the implementation of a full lockdown in June unjustifiable.
Phoong, who is also Sabah Pakatan Harapan youth chief, proposed a mass screening emulating what China and Taiwan did to detect the actual number of those who are infected. – The Vibes, August 13, 2021
