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Teachers should be among COVID-19 vaccine's priority recipients

Dec 15, 2020

The National Union of the Teaching Profession has backed calls by UNICEF, for teachers to be among the first recipients of the COVID-19 vaccine, after frontliners. 

Its Secretary General Harry Tan says getting teachers vaccinated will help keep schools open. 

He also pointed out that having face-to-face lessons will make it easier for teachers to do their jobs, compared to conducting online classes.. 

"We've received reports of poor attendance for online classes, and teachers are not able to enforce discipline when classes are on, so the best solution to all the problems caused by the pandemic is to keep schools open when it's safe, or when teachers are vaccinated." 

UNICEF said that during the first wave of the pandemic, school closures affected some 90% of students worldwide.
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Parliament passes Budget 2021

The Dewan Rakyat has passed Budget 2021.

This is after 111 MPs voted in favour of the budget, compared to 108 who voted against the bill. 

Budget 2021, at 322.5 billion ringgit, is the largest budget in Malaysian history.
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Another day, another 4-digit spike in new cases

Malaysia reported 1,772 new COVID-19 cases today. 

KL had the highest number of new infections, at 696, followed by Selangor, Sabah and Perak. 

The death toll has risen to 422, after three patients succumbed to the coronavirus. 
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Ismail: Theme Parks and Zoos can reopen soon

The Senior Minister for Security says the govt has agreed in principle to resume outdoor tourism activities, such as zoos and theme parks. 

DatuK Seri Ismail Sabrio Yaakob adds, the govt has also provisionally approved a proposal by the Youth and Sports Minsitry to resume outdoor sporting activities. 

On another note, he says tthose planning to return to Malaysia from overseas must take a swab test three days before their departure, and undergo 7 days of quarantine once they arrive. 

This is after the govt decided to shorten the quarantine period.