27 mln M’sians to receive Covid-19 vaccine by 2022

KUALA LUMPUR: Almost 27 million or over 80 per cent of Malaysia’s population are expected to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by the first quarter of next year, says Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said the first batch of vaccines was expected to be received by the end of this February, with the group to be vaccinated by early March and the vaccination programme implemented in phases over a period of 12 months.

“The country’s vaccination programme is on track and the government has signed three agreements with vaccine producers.

“Through the established Special Committee on Ensuring Access to Covid-19 Vaccine Supply, the government will ensure transparency in the procurement of vaccines and give utmost priority to the National Immunisation Programme.

“A total of RM3 billion has been allocated specifically for this purpose. The guidelines and methods on receiving the vaccine will be announced soon.”

The prime minister said this in the special announcement on the PERMAI (economic and people’s protection) Package broadcast live today by local television stations and social media platforms.

He said the Special Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Malaysian Islamic Affairs has decreed that the Covid-19 vaccine is allowed and a necessity for specific groups.

“Ensuring the welfare of the community by protecting people from being infected by dangerous diseases is not something new from the Syarak (Islamic) perspective,” he added.

On the floods that hit the country, Muhyiddin said the government would set aside an initial allocation of RM200 million to reduce the burden of people affected by the calamity.

“I have instructed the relevant government agencies to expedite all forms of flood assistance and to repair the infrastructure damaged by the floods, and to alleviate the victims’ burden or repair their homes.

“Apart from that, RM50 million has been channelled to the National Disaster Relief Trust Fund under the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) for operating expenses for disaster relief during the current Northeast Monsoon season,” he said.