KUALA LUMPUR: Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin became the first recipient of Sinovac's CoronaVac vaccine in Malaysia and got his first dose at the Rembau Hospital in Negri Sembilan.
Khairy was all smiles and chatty with personnel during the preparation.
His vaccination was also met with cheers from those present.
After the procedure, he held up a placard which said: "Saya telah divaksin" (I have been vaccinated). He also displayed his Mysejahtera vaccination status update and vaccination card which stated he had received his first dose.
Khairy made history by becoming the first person in Malaysia to be administered with Sinovac's CoronaVac.
Speaking to reporters later, Khairy said: "Alhamdulillah after the injection I did not feel anything. After this I will be monitored for half an hour."
He added that CoronaVac would join Pfizer-BioNTech and be widely administered to Malaysians under the National Immunisation Programme.
Khairy is expected to call for a press conference after the isolation process by the health authorities who would be checking on him for any adverse reaction to the vaccine.
Following his vaccination, 10 personnel from the hospital including Fire and Rescue Department officers, Rela and security guards received their jabs.
On Mar 2, Malaysia granted conditional approval for the use of vaccines made by UK firm AstraZeneca and Sinovac, just days after launching its nationwide Covid-19 inoculation programme.
Malaysia received a batch of finished Sinovac vaccine doses from China on Monday after its Drug Control Authority gave the vaccine its conditional approval. Another shipment is expected later this month.
Khairy was reported as saying that the vaccine's efficacy rate was between 50.4 per cent and 91.2 per cent. The minimal World Health Organisation's requirement is 50 per cent.
He said Brazil's clinical data showed the efficacy rate was more than 50 per cent because those involved in the clinical trials were volunteers from the frontlines, however, in Turkey, the efficacy rate was 90 per cent.
He also said Malaysia's National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority was very strict and would not approve vaccines that were not safe.
He reminded the public that Indonesian president Joko Widodo was one of the recipients of the vaccine, and added that some medical practitioners showed a preference for the vaccine as it uses a tried and tested approach of inactivated viruses.
"We will, however, be monitoring this and listening to all views (in terms of which kind of vaccine mRNA (Messenger ribonucleuc acid) or otherwise is most effective."