BINTULU: Three local assemblymen were among the first to receive the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine here yesterday.

Assistant Minister in Chief Minister’s Department (Native Laws and Customs) Datuk John Sikie Tayai who is Kakus assemblyman, Samalaju assemblyman Majang Renggi and Tanjong Batu assemblyman Chiew Chiu Sing, joined Bintulu Resident Jack Aman Luat, Bintulu Health officer Dr Melvin Chung, Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) general manager Muhamad Yakup Kari, Bintulu District officer Muhammad Dino Amid, Sebauh District officer William Manggoi, Tatau District officer Barayan Lenya, and Bintulu District police chief Supt Zulkipli Suhaili in the division-level Covid-19 vaccination programme, which took place at Dewan Sri Kenyalang of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Bintulu Campus.

According to Dr Chung, this division received 414 doses of vaccines from Miri yesterday.

“Today (Saturday), 150 frontliners have received their first dose,” he said, adding that 102 shots were given to the frontliners in Bintulu, while the remaining 48 were slated for the frontliners in Tatau.

Dr Chung said the programme yesterday kicked off at 3pm and ran until 9pm, with the recipients attended to based on appointments.

For today, he said the vaccination would continue, running from 8am to 9pm.

“Tatau would also continue its vaccination programme tomorrow (today) at Tatau Sports Hall,” said Dr Chung, adding that the second phase of the programme would take place this March 19, with more than 1,000 doses.