PETALING JAYA: A group of Universiti Malaya (UM) academic and administrative staff has filed a judicial review to challenge the government’s Covid-19 vaccination programme.
They filed an application for leave in the High Court in Shah Alam last October, over an order to quash the government’s directive to implement the programme based on circulars sent to them.
The 19 applicants named the UM registrar, Public Service Department (JPA) director-general Khairul Adib Abd Rahman, health ministry and Putrajaya as respondents.
Another five teachers from different parts of the country have also filed a similar application. They named the education minister, health minister, education and health ministries, Khairul, and the federal government as respondents.
In the applications and affidavits sighted by FMT, both groups said that as public servants they must be given the freedom to choose whether to participate in the programme or not.
They said the government’s move to compel them to take vaccines went against their basic rights as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
They want an order to be issued to UM’s administrator or the education ministry to put their circulars on hold pending the outcome of the judicial review applications.
They also want the government to provide them with the outcome of clinical trials on all vaccines used and on all side effects reported since the start of the immunisation programme last year.
All 24 applicants have taken the position that the government’s decision to administer vaccines without their consent is unlawful, irrational and unconstitutional.
FMT understands Attorney-General Idrus Harun, as the guardian of public interest, is objecting to the applications for leave on grounds they are frivolous and vexatious.
The High Court in Shah Alam has fixed April 5 to hear the applications from both groups simultaneously.
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