Journalists should be given priority for jabs, says Jagdeep

GEORGE TOWN: Media personnel should be given priority in the vaccination programme as they are exposed in their jobs and are among high-risk groups, says an executive councillor.

State Local Government Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo urged Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah to prioritise media personnel due to their risk of exposure.

“Earlier, the minister said he would consider giving media personnel priority for the vaccine.

“We are now in the second phase of the vaccination programme but to date, those who have registered are yet to be given the jabs. This is not right. They are also frontliners.

“As an elected representative, I already received the vaccine. Why are media personnel not given the jabs? They too are exposed to the risks and need to be prioritised,” he said at a press conference in Bayan Baru yesterday.

Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, who was present, also urged that media personnel be prioritised in the vaccination programme.

“The minister needs to stand up, strengthen, as well as empower our journalists,” he said.

Separately, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow called on economic frontliners to be given priority in view of many active clusters in the industrial sector.

“So far, there are 12 active clusters in Penang with 10 of them involving factories, one is linked to a detention depot and another in the education sector.

“Those categorised under economic frontliners should be prioritised as factory clusters are still active with between 120 and 150 positive cases daily,” he said.