TRANSPORT, the bane of life in Sarawak’s rural hinterland, could be one of the reasons the state misses its target to complete Covid-19 vaccination of its 2.2 million people by August.

In Murum, an area in the upper reaches of the Rajang River close to the mammoth hydroelectric dam, the drive to register the natives there is reportedly slow, but “it is moving”, according to PKR’s potential pick for the Murum state seat in the coming election, Abun Sui Anyit.

There is no internet in the area and registering for the vaccine has to be handled manually, a slow and tedious process.

“They can’t register via the MySejahtera app,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Instead, paper forms issued by the state health department are used by the registration teams, village or longhouse chiefs. The forms are sent to the nearest health clinic or district office.

“Getting transport to go from one longhouse to another (for the registering teams) or to the district office or clinic is again quite a hassle. There is always the matter of cost.

“It’s not cheap,” Abun, a Miri-based lawyer, said.

The only mode of transport is 4x4-wheel drive vehicles, and the cost is steep.

Transport problems are also the main reason why births and deaths are not reported in these parts of the state.

Abun said he was made to understand that probably only 40% of the 7,000 people who are eligible for the vaccination in Murum have registered.

The slow pace of the registration is not only due to logistical hurdles.

Vaccine hesitancy is also a problem, with some people holding back after hearing all sorts of things about the jab but lack an explanation.

Abun said these people are not anti-vaxxers but just wary and need more information.

“There is a lack of it. They also want to know what the safety guarantees are.

“They are also concerned about the side effects of the vaccination.”

Now that the government has revealed early details of the Covid-19 injury scheme, which will provide compensation for complications arising from vaccination, Abun said he hoped more people would feel better about registering.

Health Minister Dr Adham Baba last Monday announced a special fund to cover adverse effects of the vaccine with compensation of up to RM50,000 in the event of a serious side effect requiring prolonged hospitalisation.

However, it is a stark difference when it comes to the urban areas.

Bukit Assek assemblyman Irene Chang said from the latest information she had from the Sibu Resident’s office, 81% of the town’s targeted population have registered.

“I was informed that we (in Sibu) are the highest among the urban divisions,” she said, adding she believed most people initially had a wait and see attitude, as opposed to direct reticence to receiving the jab.

However, after she received the vaccine, as elected representatives were considered frontliners eligible for the jab under the first phase of the national immunisation drive, she said more of her constituents are coming forward.

“Personally, I have been approached by many of my constituents on how I fared after my vaccination.

“Some would ask how to register after asking me those questions.”

Chang also said in the social work she and her team undertake, like providing sanitising services for the homes of people with positive cases, she found that many have registered for the vaccination.

One issue, however, is that some people in Sibu, a predominantly Chinese town, are adamant that they only want to receive CoronaVac, the China-made Covid-19 vaccine by Sinovac.

“There are these people who want to wait till this vaccine is available,” Chang said.

However, the government has said that while vaccination is voluntary, people will not be able to choose. – March 29, 2021.