Dr Annuar Rapaee
SIBU: Sarawak has the highest number of frontliners receiving the Covid-19 vaccine compared to other states in the country, said Sibu Division Disaster Management Committee coordinator Dr Annuar Rapaee.
He said since the National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme began on Feb 26, about 9,700 of the roughly 53,000 frontliners nationwide who have been given the vaccine so far are from Sarawak.
“Places like Kuala Lumpur or Penang, the figure is only about 1,800. Ours is (over) 9,000 vaccinated.
“Our numbers are amazing. We are approaching 10,000 people vaccinated compared to the rest of the states,” said Dr Annuar, who is Local Government and Housing Assistant Minister and Nangka assemblyman.
He said this when asked by Pelawan assemblyman David Wong on the progress of the vaccination programme in Sarawak, during a Facebook Live session hosted by Sibu Municipal Council chairman Clarence Ting yesterday.
Senator Robert Lau and Bukit Assek assemblywoman Irene Chang also joined the session.
Dr Annuar said for the vaccination programme to be a success, it needed to be carried out as soon as possible, as fast as possible, and covering as many people as possible.
This is why the Sarawak government is ‘fighting’ to get hold of as many vaccine doses as possible, he added.
“With such a high number of people in Sarawak getting vaccinated, we should be given more (vaccine doses by the federal government).
“I think it’s a good reason. If other states do not want to take it as soon as possible, then give it to us,” he said.
He conceded that it could be “too ambitious” for Sarawak to complete the vaccination process by August this year, but remained confident the target could be achieved.
“The state government is working hard to complete the vaccination by this August. With availability of the vaccines, it is possible for us to achieve this goal,” he said.
Yesterday’s discussion saw Chang suggesting that the state government set up mobile teams to administer the vaccine to those who may be unable to go to the designated vaccination centres, especially the elderly.