KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The proposal to impose action against civil servants who refuse to be vaccinated against Covid-19 is not for punishment, but to raise awareness of the importance of the vaccine in bringing the country out of the pandemic.

       Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) president Adnan Mat said 98% of civil servants had been vaccinated and the remaining 2% should not decline the vaccine because they were the executors of government policies.

       "In terms of vaccination, Cuepacs is of the view that the government needs to take more steps forward based on the current existing regulations to ensure that all civil servants take vaccines.

       "All efforts and awareness campaigns for the Covid-19 vaccination have been done by the government and it should be clearly understood," he said in a statement here on Wednesday (Sept 22).

       On Tuesday (Sept 21), the Public Service Department (JPA) said it would submit to the National Security Council (NRC) a proposal on action that can be taken against civil servants who refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

       JPA in a statement said several options of action and measures would be proposed to NRC, including a directive to make it compulsory for all civil servants to take the vaccine except those who have strong reasons to be exempted on health grounds.

       Meanwhile, National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) president Aminuddin Awang said the proposal would give confidence to parents and young people about the reopening of schools.

       Currently, there are 480,000 teachers in service and the number of those unvaccinated was not available yet as the vaccination process was still ongoing, he said. - Bernama