SHAH ALAM, June 8 — The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah today expressed his disappointment with anti-vaccine groups in the state.
Sultan Sharafuddin, in a statement issued on his behalf by his private secretary Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani, hoped that the people would not be easily influenced by such distorted understandings because he believed that the vaccine could save lives, especially from the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said he was concerned that if there were individuals or communities who were too stubborn to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the target to achieve group or herd immunity by the end of this year would not be achieved and put the country in a more acute and dangerous pandemic crisis.
His Royal Highness also lamented the increase in the daily number of new positive cases in Selangor and the alarming number of deaths in the state and hoped that the Special Committee on COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee (JKJAV) would speed up and increase the number of vaccine doses administered for the people in Selangor.
Sultan Sharafuddin also expressed shock when it was confirmed by the COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) that as of June 1, Selangor had only received 615,210 doses of COVID-19 vaccine and not 2.9 million doses as claimed.
“It is unfair when the ratio of the total supply of vaccine doses currently is not balanced with the total population of all the residents in Selangor numbering 6.5 million,” he said.
He said in the current situation, the lives of the people should be given priority over other agendas and he wanted the number of vaccination centres (PPV) in the state to be increased, especially in rural areas and that drive-through or mobile clinic methods could speed up the vaccination process and expand the coverage.
He also praised the Selangor government’s move to conduct the COVID-19 screening test for free for all the people in Selangor and advised those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine shot to remain alert and careful.
Sultan Sharafuddin appealed to the people to continue to diligently abide by the instructions issued under the Movement Control Order (MCO) set by the government, including staying at home if there is no important business and not viewing the standard operating procedure (SOP) lightly.
His Royal Highness also thanked and expressed his deep appreciation to all frontliners at government and private hospitals as well as health clinics who are still working tirelessly carrying out their duties and responsibilities with full commitment and dedication to ensure the well-being and health of the people are always protected.
