FOR SAFETY OF ALL
SOME seven million have registered for the Covid-19 vaccination. But to ensure the goal of having 70 to 80 per cent of Malaysians vaccinated to achieve herd immunity is met, the PM once again appeals to the people to get registered.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday called on the people to immediately register for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
He said the public should take advantage of the programme that provides Covid-19 vaccines free of charge.
He said the public should not be afraid of getting vaccinated as he and his wife, Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman, had completed the vaccination regimen recently.
“I would like to call on all the people, including those in Pagoh, to get themselves vaccinated. My wife and I have completed the two doses of the vaccine.
“Look, we are still the same (in good health). There is no problem. We eat and sleep normally. Don’t be afraid.”
He said this at the Jom Ke Sekolah programme for the Pagoh parliamentary and Gambir state constituencies and the Mara Education Foundation’s corporate social responsibility programme at the Pagoh Sports Complex yesterday.
Muhyiddin, who is Pagoh member of parliament and Gambir assemblyman, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba told him on Friday that about seven million people had registered for the immunisation programme.
He hoped the number would reach 10 million soon so that the country’s target of having 70 to 80 per cent of Malaysians (26 million people) vaccinated could be met.
“When many people get the vaccines our country will be much safer. The government has no other intention but to help the people. The people must also help themselves, for your safety and health.”
He said the government would study whether to allow interstate travel during Hari Raya Aidilfitri in May.
He hinted at the possibility of allowing Aidilfitri prayers, takbir
raya and visiting nearby houses as permission had been given for mosques to hold tarawih prayers during Ramadan.
“Perhaps with Aidilfitri coming, maybe we can allow Aidilfitri prayers, takbir raya and visits to nearby houses, but for interstate travel to balik kampung, I cannot give an answer yet.
“For that, we have to study (the situation) carefully. It will be announced at an appropriate time,” he said at a breakfast gathering with Felcra Bukit Kepong settlers here yesterday
Earlier, Muhyiddin reminded the people to continue adhering to the standard operating procedures to ensure Covid-19 cases in the country, including in Johor, continued to drop.
He said the Covid-19 pandemic had placed the country in the most difficult situation in its history as it has brought about health and economic challenges with huge implications on the lives of the people.
He said for this, the Perikatan Nasional government set aside a huge allocation of RM325 billion to RM330 billion to help the people.
“We have disbursed a huge allocation to help the people. The purpose is to help the people survive, earn an income.”
On another matter, Muhyiddin said the government was satisfied with the explanation given by the Election Commission (EC) on its decision to delay the implementation of the Undi18 Bill to Sept 1 next year.
He said he summoned EC chairman Datuk Abdul Ghani Salleh to ask about the matter.
“EC cannot implement the bill because of the current circumstances. There are obstacles that they cannot overcome.”
He said the issue was not about the Perikatan Nasional government.
“This is about the EC because the commission is the one that will implement the bill. As a government, we will support them,” he told a press conference after the launch of the Pagoh Special Economic Zone here.
He said for the government, the sooner the bill was implemented the better.
“But we have to be realistic. We have to see how the EC can do it.”
The Undi18 bill was supposed to be implemented from July this year. The decision to delay the implementation was slammed by various quarters, including political parties and youth organisations.