KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia said on Thursday (Sept 30) it would now be mandatory for all federal government employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19, with exceptions only to be allowed on health grounds.
The announcement comes as the country looks to boost vaccination rates with the aim of inoculating 80 per cent of the population by the end of the year.
Malaysia has one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in Southeast Asia, with 61 per cent of its 32 million population already fully vaccinated.
In a statement, the Public Service Department said vaccinations would be made compulsory for federal staff in order to boost public confidence and ensure government services can be delivered smoothly.
Nearly 98 per cent of civil servants were already vaccinated, while 16,902 or 1.6 per cent have yet to register under the country's inoculation programme, the department said. Malaysia has around 1.6 million public servants.
Unvaccinated employees have been given until Nov 1 to complete their inoculations, while those who are unable to be vaccinated must submit health information verified by a government medical officer.
Those who fail to get vaccinated in time will face disciplinary action, the department said.