KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah today called on the people to work together in playing their roles to protect themselves and the society as a whole through the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme.

The King said efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic should be shouldered by all quarters in the spirit of brotherhood, including through close cooperation between the government and the people.

“I have full confidence that all our attempts and efforts through the Community Empowerment Programme and the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme will enable us to rise again together to build a brighter future for our beloved country.

“Let us come together to continue the agenda to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and play our parts to protect our country,”  he said in the royal address in conjunction with the launch of the Community Empowerment Programme on RTM today.

Al-Sultan Abdullah said during the first wave of the pandemic early last year, Malaysia has managed to flatten the curve of daily COVID-19 infection, thanks to the efforts of various quarters and cooperation from all Malaysians.

However, His Majesty said the country then experienced a shocking spike in COVID-19 cases, which led to the more challenging tasks for the frontliners and national health facilities, hence the change in the people’s philosophy of life.

As such, Al-Sultan Abdullah said he lauded the government’s efforts in formulating the Community Empowerment Programme that sees the involvement of community leaders and people from all walks of life in preventing infection and reducing the number of COVID-19 cases.

“Apart from that, an initiative known as ABC-19 (COVID-19 Eradication Agent) will also see the involvement and mobilisation of various entities to empower the community,” he said.

The King also expressed gratitude for the government’s hard work in securing access and bringing in the vaccine to protect the people from COVID-19 infection.

-- BERNAMA