KOTA KINABALU: Only three per cent or 687 Sabah civil servants have yet to be vaccinated against Covid-19 based on health factors and other reasons, the Sabah State Assembly was told today.
Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Abidin Madingkir said 19,584 or 97 per cent of state civil servants had been vaccinated, including civil servants in the Sabah Local Authorities and Statutory Bodies.
He said the state government required all state civil servants to complete Covid-19 immunisation to create a safe workplace environment and ensure service delivery and productivity of the state civil service were at an optimal level.
“After 1 Nov 2021, all State Government officers must complete the Covid-19 immunisation doses ... officers who fail to comply with this directive may face disciplinary action or termination of service in accordance with the Sabah State Public Officers Regulations 2008.
“Officers not eligible for Covid-19 immunIsation must get confirmation from a medical officer and inform the Head of Department (HOD),“ he said in reply to a question from Datuk Ewon Benedick (UPKO-Kadamaian) who asked on the number of state civil servants yet to be vaccinated and the policy on civil servants who did not want to receive Covid-19 vaccines.
Abidin said to implement this policy, the HOD could consider appropriate methods to manage any officer who did not want to be immunised but not for health reasons.
“These include instructing officers to perform periodic Covid-19 detection tests, work-from-home, counselling sessions for a period of time, use available qualifying leave and unpaid leave and finally termination of service,” he said.-Bernama
