Deputy Minister P. Kamalanathan said the effort was important to protect the students’ health.

“It is a proposal we are studying. We have to take a lot into consideration but I think it is an important matter. The student’s health is a very important matter,” he told reporters after the 1Malaysia Tamil Language Open Competition in conjunction with 200 years of Tamil Language in Malaysian Education here today.

A seven-year-old girl died from diphtheria bacterial infection in Malacca while in Kedah, a two-year-old toddler has died, another one is in critical condition while five of his siblings were quarantined at the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital (HSAH) purportedly due to the same problem.

Kamalanathan said the proposal to make vaccination mandatory for students was submitted by the Health Ministry and a decision on the matter would be made soon.

He said, currently, there was no rule making it compulsory for all school students to get vaccinated.

On the competition, Kamalanathan said it was held in conjunction with the 200th year celebration of the Tamil language in national education since it was first taught at the Penang Free School on Oct 21, 1816.

A total of 200 students from more than 40 primary schools in Selangor took part in the competition which was organised by KPM with the cooperation of Creative Education Intellect.

-BERNAMA