As the country struggles to move forward in the face of COVID-19, there still remain roadblocks to normalcy from certain small quarters of society – including anti-vaxxers.
In Malaysia, the government aims to achieve herd immunity by getting at least 80% of the population – about 27 million people – vaccinated by the end of the year.
As of June 1, only some 12 million had registered for the national immunisation programme. The reasons for this are manifold: some lack awareness about the situation, some are reluctant to get jabbed due to concerns about safety and side effects, and others are outright against it.
While our leaders, recycled or otherwise, will continue to harp on the success of our vaccination program thus far - while remaining surprisingly soft when confronting or even acknowledging the threat of anti-vaxxers has towards our society.
Take for example the recent controversy when it was revealed that 779 teachers in Johor declined to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Considering that schools are reopening on September 1st – why was it only revealed that there still remained a sizeable group of vaccine-hesitant teachers only on 23 August, a mere two weeks before the reopening?
https://www.facebook.com/hrhcrownprinceofjohor/posts/382552859893773
Thankfully, the Crown Prince of Johor had decided to personally intervene and take charge in this situation – as he had immediately called for a meeting with teacher representatives and state government officials to help resolve this issue.
This however is not the only time that TMJ has had to take a leading role in dealing with COVID in Johor however. Over 91% of adults are registered for vaccines in the state – coming in no small part to TMJ’s contribution of mobilizing the Johor Southern Volunteers to assist in registration outreach and his visit to PPV at Permai Hospital to ensure vaccine supplies are sufficient – providing a great deal of comfort for those coming in to receive their vaccinations.
While most states with opposing political views see themselves mired in political brinksmanship as seen in Selangor, TMJ has leveraged his position to build consensus building and to bring various stakeholders together to help build up Johor’s capability in resolving the COVID crisis.
https://www.facebook.com/hrhcrownprinceofjohor/posts/375153407300385
The most important programme in the fight against vaccine misinformation is the new IPA-C (Leadership Advocacy Initative), which has been advocated by TMJ, is another clear step taken by Johor forward for vaccine advocacy in local communities, which will bring together the Johor state government, Johor State Health Department and local community leaders to take better charge of towards the safety of their communities and more importantly help tackle the twin issues of vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.
These initiatives and the role of mediator taken by TMJ goes beyond the material contributions that we have seen from kind benefactors and patrons across the country, as it helps address the root of our country’s national COVID response, an unwillingness for those in power to listen to one another.
Call it political expediency, but this kind of attitude is not the leadership that we need in this supposed war against “an invisible enemy” that we are now in.
Strong and on-hands leadership is needed. Let’s hope that this new government can take heed from TMJ’s example and finally take charge in our continuing war against COVID-19.
In Malaysia, the government aims to achieve herd immunity by getting at least 80% of the population – about 27 million people – vaccinated by the end of the year.
As of June 1, only some 12 million had registered for the national immunisation programme. The reasons for this are manifold: some lack awareness about the situation, some are reluctant to get jabbed due to concerns about safety and side effects, and others are outright against it.
While our leaders, recycled or otherwise, will continue to harp on the success of our vaccination program thus far - while remaining surprisingly soft when confronting or even acknowledging the threat of anti-vaxxers has towards our society.
Take for example the recent controversy when it was revealed that 779 teachers in Johor declined to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Considering that schools are reopening on September 1st – why was it only revealed that there still remained a sizeable group of vaccine-hesitant teachers only on 23 August, a mere two weeks before the reopening?
https://www.facebook.com/hrhcrownprinceofjohor/posts/382552859893773
Thankfully, the Crown Prince of Johor had decided to personally intervene and take charge in this situation – as he had immediately called for a meeting with teacher representatives and state government officials to help resolve this issue.
This however is not the only time that TMJ has had to take a leading role in dealing with COVID in Johor however. Over 91% of adults are registered for vaccines in the state – coming in no small part to TMJ’s contribution of mobilizing the Johor Southern Volunteers to assist in registration outreach and his visit to PPV at Permai Hospital to ensure vaccine supplies are sufficient – providing a great deal of comfort for those coming in to receive their vaccinations.
While most states with opposing political views see themselves mired in political brinksmanship as seen in Selangor, TMJ has leveraged his position to build consensus building and to bring various stakeholders together to help build up Johor’s capability in resolving the COVID crisis.
https://www.facebook.com/hrhcrownprinceofjohor/posts/375153407300385
The most important programme in the fight against vaccine misinformation is the new IPA-C (Leadership Advocacy Initative), which has been advocated by TMJ, is another clear step taken by Johor forward for vaccine advocacy in local communities, which will bring together the Johor state government, Johor State Health Department and local community leaders to take better charge of towards the safety of their communities and more importantly help tackle the twin issues of vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.
These initiatives and the role of mediator taken by TMJ goes beyond the material contributions that we have seen from kind benefactors and patrons across the country, as it helps address the root of our country’s national COVID response, an unwillingness for those in power to listen to one another.
Call it political expediency, but this kind of attitude is not the leadership that we need in this supposed war against “an invisible enemy” that we are now in.
Strong and on-hands leadership is needed. Let’s hope that this new government can take heed from TMJ’s example and finally take charge in our continuing war against COVID-19.
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