Health minister Dr Adham Baba said the claims, as reported by news portal Asia Sentinel, were baseless.

“Where did the writer get the source for his story? He is trying to create a negative perception of Malaysia,” he told news portal The Malaysian Insight.

According to Asia Sentinel, the King, foreign minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Attorney-General Idrus Harun were vaccinated with the Sinopharm vaccine during a trip to United Arab Emirates (UAE) in January.

Sinopharm vaccines are yet to be approved for use in Malaysia.

The report also claimed the King was given an additional 2,000 doses for his family and friends.

Adham, in a further response, said the procurement of all vaccines needed to go through stringent procedures set by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency.

“It will then receive approval from the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force. Not just that, we make sure all vaccines purchased are safe,” Adham said.

The Asia Sentinel report cited two sources who said the King, along with Hishamuddin and Idris, went to Dubai early this year, supposedly for a discussion with Prince Mohammed Zayed Al Nahyan, who was the king’s former classmate.

“The sources said the King and presumably his entourage have been vaccinated as a favour with the Sinopharm vaccine in the UAE, one of the world’s leading countries in combating the virus along with other oil-rich gulf states.

“The vaccine has not been approved in Malaysia and is therefore illegal,” the report stated.