The army today kicked off its Jiwa Murni combat medic vaccination programme (ACMVP) at Long Pasia, one of the remotest villages in the state located in the border district of Sipitang.

They expect to vaccinate 500 residents in the area and nearby villages over two days.

Praising the army for the initiative, chief minister Hajiji Noor hoped more such efforts would be implemented in other districts to speed up the vaccination process.

Hajiji said more than 350,000 people had been vaccinated in the state, including about 10,000 army personnel, as of June 23.

He added that more than 30% of the people in Sabah had registered for vaccination.

“We hope to see our target of vaccinating 30,000 people daily from July achieved when more vaccines become available,” he said in a statement here.

This is the army’s first such effort in Sabah, and is jointly undertaken by the army and the government’s mobile outreach, the Covid-19 immunisation task force (CITF) and village youth volunteers.

The ACMVP will be visiting other far-flung districts such as Tongod, Nabawan and Semporna from July to September.

Hajiji launched the state’s zero Covid-19 campaign on Monday.

The aim of the initiative is to vaccinate 30,000 people daily from next month by opening up more vaccination administration centres (PPV).

Earlier, Hajiji had announced a RM570,000 allocation for two suspension bridges, a church, an army post and upgrade of schools in Sipitang.