KAPIT, June 22 — Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri James Masing today extolled the success of the state’s move to expedite the Covid-19 vaccination programme for its massive rural areas by accepting walk-ins.

He said the "jab first, register later” approach has made it easier for Malaysians living in hard-to-reach places like Baleh in the Kapit division.

"Most of those vaccinated in Kapit town consisted not only of residents in Kapit town and the neighbouring longhouses, but also Kapit folks residing in Sibu, Bintulu and Kuching who find it difficult to get their appointments to be vaccinated via MySejahtera app.

"If the 21,000 doses of vaccines per week are available as promised by Putrajaya, Kapit Division can attain 80 per cent herd immunity by the end of July 2021,” he said in a statement.

Masing, who is also Baleh assemblyman, had been inspecting vaccination centres in Kapit for the past two days, accompanied by Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak. Among them was SK Nanga Oyan, located deep in Baleh, which caters to 256 residents living in 11 longhouses.

He observed that the vaccination procedure has been running smoothly and that many were glad to be inoculated.

"They waited patiently for their turn and those with whom I managed to talk to were very grateful to be jabbed in order to be protected from Covid-19,” Masing said.

He added that the Kapit Division Health Department is very flexible on walk-ins and will administer the Covid-19 jab as long as the person shows his or her Malaysian identification card.

He said the Ministry of Health has16 vaccination teams working at any one time in Kapit Division.

He added yesterday they managed to vaccinate 4,128 folks.