KOTA BARU: The Orang Asli community in the country are aware about the importance of taking the Covid-19 vaccination to protect themselves from the virus.
Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) director-general Prof Dr Juli Edo said the community also welcomed the government's call for people to get themselves inoculated.
"The Orang Asli community in the country has no problems receiving the vaccine as they realise the need to take it.
"Jakoa is also aware that some of them might have doubta especially after they were influenced by social media posts inciting them against taking the vaccine.
"But we believe the Orang Asli will realise it soon and agree to accept the vaccine," he told the NST.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin recently called on the people including non-Malaysians in the country, to get themselves inoculated when the Covid-19 vaccine is available in Malaysia.
Although the government has not made it compulsory or mandatory for the people to get vaccinated, Muhyiddin said those who refused inoculation could face restrictions in moving around or engaging in businesses in the future.
There are three phases under the National Covid-19 Immunisation programme. The first phase involves frontliners; second phase involves senior citizens and high-risk groups; and the third phase is for adults aged 18 and above.
Muhyiddin and Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah will be among the first to receive the Covid-19 vaccine when the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme is rolled out.
Medical and non-medical frontliners will join Muhyiddin and Dr Noor Hisham to be vaccinated on the same day.
Registration for the vaccination programme is expected to be opened to the public on March 1, and the inoculation is on a voluntary basis.