Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia said on Thursday it will now be mandatory for all federal government employees to vaccinate against Covid-19, with exceptions only permitted based on health.
The announcement came when the country seemed to increase the level of vaccination with the aim of analyzing 80% of the population at the end of the year.
Malaysia has one of the fastest vaccine launches in Southeast Asia, with 61% of the 32 million population has been fully vaccinated.
In a statement, the Public Service Department said vaccination would be made mandatory for federal staff to increase public trust and ensure government services can be conveyed smoothly.
Nearly 98% of civil servants have been vaccinated, while 16,902 or 1.6% have not registered under the country’s inoculation program, the department said.
Malaysia has around 1.6 million civil servants.
Unavusted employees have been given until November 1 to complete their inoculation, while those who cannot be vaccinated must submit health information verified by government medical officers.
Those who fail to vaccinate in time will face disciplinary actions, the department said.