Sarawak can achieve herd immunity by mid-August or September - CM Abang Johari

LONG SINGUT (Sarawak), Aug 5  -- Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg is confident that Sarawak can achieve herd immunity against COVID-19 by the middle of August or September.

He said his confidence was based on the high vaccination rate in Sarawak, both in the urban and rural areas, which was achieved with the help and cooperation of all parties including the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) and the people’s good response to the immunisation programme.

He expressed satisfaction that Sarawak was ahead of the other states in the national immunisation programme.

Abang Johari said this today during a visit to the vaccination centre (PPV) at Long Singut, a Kenyah settlement near Sarawak’s border with Kalimantan, Indonesia, which was run by the MAF Combat Medic Vaccination Team (CMVT).

“In Kapit Division alone, despite the very challenging conditions due to its terrain and scattered population, the division has achieved 84 per cent two-dose vaccination and reached the herd immunity of 80 per cent,” he added.

A total of 178 people have been fully vaccinated in the village.

Earlier, Abang Johari was briefed on the settlement, including issues on infrastructure, citizenship and the vaccination programme.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing, who was present, said 356 people in the area did not have citizenship because they did not possess identity cards.

In fact, he said some of them were second and third generation residents born and raised in Long Singut who excelled in the SPM examination by scoring 6As.

 “To me, this is a waste of human resources (could not work because they do not have identity cards). Fortunately, the Resident’s Office and Kapit District Office took in two of them as trainees.

“I’m trying to get them registered as Malaysian citizens. This is why I brought the Chief Minister and related agencies here,” he said.

-- BERNAMA