ABOUT 30,000 or 1.9% of 1.6 million civil servants have yet to be vaccinated, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions) Abdul Latiff Ahmad told the Dewan Rakyat today.

“Around 98.1% of civil servants have completed their vaccination. Only 1.9% of the 1.6 million civil servants have not been vaccinated,” he said.

Latiff was responding to Dr Shahruddin Md Salleh (Sri Gading-Pejuang) on the status and rights of civil servants who refused to get vaccinated and whether the government will take legal action against them.

He said the Covid-19 jabs are still being administered on a voluntary basis.

Latiff added that there will be conditions that have to be met if Putrajaya is to enforce mandatory vaccination for civil servants.

To a supplementary question from Shahruddin on whether Putrajaya intends to enforce weekly testing for teachers and civil servants, Latiff said the proposal will be brought to the National Security Council for consideration.

He said the government will continue to engage with anti-vaxxers, although there are no plans to enforce mandatory vaccination at this juncture.

“Yes they are influential but only when they are infected with category 4 and 5 infection, will they understand the pain of fighting for their lives and being in the intensive care unit.

“The government can continue engagement but it is up to them to make the decision,” he added.

Latiff was responding to a question from Mohammad Sabu (Kota Raja-PH) on what are the measures taken by the government to convince anti-vaxxers, especially those who yield influence, such as doctors, professors and religious leaders, to get inoculated.

Malaysia has vaccinated 94.9% of its adult population and 65.6% of the general population. – October 12, 2021.