Ismail Sabri: Priority for armed forces personnel in operation areas, foreign missions

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) personnel involved in operations and foreign missions will be the first group to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, said Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The MAF personnel were those currently involved or would be deployed in operation areas such as Op Benteng and Op Penawar, as well as the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) and the International Monitoring

Team in Mindanao missions under the army, navy and air force, Ismail Sabri said.

“For example, this vaccine will be administered to the personnel involved in Op Benteng because they are safeguarding the borders and waters, as well as handling illegal immigrants.

“The vaccine will also be given to the groups at the Strategic Governance and Operations of the MAF headquarters, Defence Ministry, Joint Forces headquarters, as well as the army, navy and the

Air Force Formation headquarters, especially those working in the operations and communications rooms,” he said at a press conference after receiving the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at Tuanku Mizan Army Hospital in Wangsa Maju here yesterday.

Ismail Sabri said the first phase of the vaccination drive would target MAF officers and personnel involved in operating strategic defence assets, including fighter-jets, transport aircraft, naval vessels and helicopters.

“It also involves the personnel handling air defence assets and other specialised assets that cannot be handled by those who are not specially trained,” he said, adding that the vaccination drive started on Thursday with 230 MAF medical staff receiving the first dose of the Comirnaty vaccine.

Ismail Sabri said 14 MAF and police personnel, who would serve with the International Monitoring Team, would leave for Mindanao, the Philippines, after receiving their second dose next month.

“In addition, the second batch of 40 women armed forces personnel with the Unifil mission will receive the vaccine tomorrow (Saturday) before serving in Lebanon.”

On vaccination for Malaysian peacekeepers in Lebanon, he said it had been provided by Unifil.

Asked on his vaccination experience yesterday, he said it was not painful.