As Malaysia’s Covid-19 vaccination drive revs up, sceptics threaten to spoil the party

Online disinformation has left many elderly too afraid to get jabbed and is fuelling ‘vaccine choosiness’, with many preferring China’s Sinovac over supposed ‘gold standard’ Pfizer

Vaccine hesitancy is particularly prevalent among people with higher education, while some Muslims have concerns over the halal status of the shots

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A medical worker tests a child at a free Covid-19 testing site in Shah Alam, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: AFP

Published: 1:00pm, 27 Jun 2021Updated: 1:00pm, 27 Jun 2021

In the interior of Malaysia’s Sabah state, two thirds of which remains under forest cover, citizens are deeply sceptical about Covid-19 vaccinations.

The state has experienced its fair share of trauma during the pandemic, stemming from its experience as the “ground zero” of the nationwide third wave of infections that stretches back to September.

Despite having witnessed deaths and hospitalisations, “many are afraid” of what inoculations might do to them, Jannie Lasimbang, a Sabah state assemblywoman, told This Week in Asia.

“Older people are especially afraid to sign up. I think young people are not so scared,” said Lasimbang, who represents the district of Kapayan.

“The older ones usually say that they have a lot of comorbidities such as heart problems, and that is something they are worried about.”

Poor internet connectivity meanwhile makes it harder for these citizens to register for appointments through the government portal. Manual registration is done via community leaders, some of whom are not trained to handle the process.