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File photo of Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim meeting with the Johor Chief Minister on Jul 4, 2021. (Photo: Facebook/HRH Crown Prince of Johor) - 

Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim on Sunday (Aug 22) summoned the Johor Education Department director and 779 teachers who rejected COVID-19 vaccinations to meet him as soon as possible.

"I will meet with the Johor education director and the teachers concerned as soon as possible. Our priority is to overcome the pandemic so that the people and the state can return to life as normal," he said in a post on his Twitter account.

Johor Education Department deputy director for learning Shahilon Abd Halim is currently the department's acting director.

Tunku Ismail was commenting on a news report that 779 teachers in the state had rejected COVID-19 vaccinations.

Earlier, chairman of the State Education, Information, Heritage and Culture Committee Mazlan Bujang told the Johor State Assembly that a group of teachers had refused to be inoculated.

He said that efforts were underway through the Johor Education Department and the State Religious Department to brief the teachers on the benefits of being vaccinated.

As of Thursday, 45,448 or 96.26 per cent of teachers in Johor had received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 23,746 teachers had completed two vaccine doses, according to the assemblyman.

In addition, about 6,500 people or 91 per cent of the implementing group members (AKP) had received the first dose of the vaccine, while about 2,800 or 39 per cent had completed two doses.

Another 9,200 or 71 per cent of operational support staff had received the first dose of the vaccine and about 7,000 or 54 per cent had completed both doses.

Johor reported 1,391 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, out of a nationwide daily total of 19,807 new infections//CNA