By Norrasyidah Arshad
SABAK BERNAM, Jan 11 — In its bid to curb the Covid-19 transmission in Selangor, the state administration plans to purchase between three million to five million doses of the vaccine.
Its Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said aside from the focus on foreign workers due to the high number of the industrial sector in the state, the move is also to meet the needs of the Selangor people.
“We understand that the government (at the Federal level) have purchased it (the vaccine), but we may also be buying it as there is a need for it.
“This (the purchase) would be for the locals. It is also needed for the foreign workers, but this has to be discussed with the Federal government,” he said when met after a working visit in Sabak Bernam, here today.
Amirudin said that the matter will be talked through during the Selangor Security Council Committee this coming Wednesday.
“Plans have been made since last week, but this will be finalised after further discussions as it involves several different parties.
“The cost will also be discussed because it requires a huge allocation. We also need to look at the yearly demand for the betterment of the people and industries,” he added.
Earlier today, the Federal government had signed a deal to buy an additional 12.2 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by US and German drugmakers Pfizer and BioNTech.
The Health Ministry (MOH) said this brings the total amount of the Pfizer vaccine procured by Malaysia to 25 million doses, which would cover 39 per cent of the population.
Through the MOH, the Federal administration and Pfizer (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd had also today signed the manufacturing and supply agreement for the pharmaceutical company’s Covid-19 vaccine in Malaysia.
Malaysia is set to receive its first batch of Covid-19 vaccine doses in February.
