Executive summary

Meanwhile, one of the top posts in the Facebook Malay dataset is an article shared by the website Rotikaya on Malaysia being one of the first recipients of the vaccines. [...] When comparing the distribution of these posts over time, the narratives initially focused on the developments in the supply category, aligning with the announcement of shipments of vaccines and progression of the NCIP’s vaccination stages. [...] Prior to the availability of the vaccines to the front-liners, conversations on the vaccines focused on the potential recipients of the first doses of vaccines, with a preference for politicians to test the safety and efficacy of vaccines. [...] The first covers the utilisation of national funds towards combating the pandemic, especially considering the approval of the 2021 Budget and the use of the National Trust Fund (Kumpulan Wang Amanah Negara, or KWAN). [...] In the Facebook English posts, narratives are greatly biased towards the mention of religious practices and development where the former would be responses to information that the vaccine would be needed for the haj and the latter on the halal or haram status of the vaccines.