'Stubborn' religious teachers may lose jobs if refuse vaccine - Selangor Sultan

 

Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has reminded state civil servants under the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) that they risk losing their jobs for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine.

The sultan said he was informed by Jais director Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad that some Kelas Al-Quran dan Fardhu Ain (Kafa) religious school teachers, mosque officers, and jurunikah (person in-charge of solemnising a Muslim marriage) have refused to get vaccinated.

"I would like to remind these stubborn teachers that they face the risk of not being allowed to continue their duties.

"Similarly with mosque officials and jurunikah who turned down the vaccine, they too face the same sanction," the sultan said in a statement.

Of 326 religious school teachers who have yet to be vaccinated, 95 refused inoculation. There are currently 6,797 Kafa religious teachers under Jais in schools statewide.

Meanwhile, there were 11 of 59 unvaccinated mosque officials and six of nine unvaccinated jurunikah who refused the vaccine.

"I hope that the Selangor Health Department will expedite the vaccination process for Kafa teachers, mosque officials, and jurunikah in Selangor.

"For these groups who chose to not be vaccinated, I am deeply saddened because they will be endangering themselves and others.

"I am worried if there are among Kafa teachers left unvaccinated, it could impact their students," said the sultan.

Aside from government Kafa religious school teachers, Sultan Sharafuddin said he was made to understand there were 268 primary and 182 secondary school teachers who refused vaccination and posed a health risk to their students.

Ecouraging all people in Selangor to get vaccinated, the sultan repeated past reassurances given not only by doctors but also religious scholars on the subject.

Selangor today recorded 4,073 new Covid-19 cases, while Sabah and Sarawak collectively reported more cases than the entire Klang Valley.  - Mkini