By Ida Nadirah Ibrahim
SHAH ALAM, Feb 16 — Putrajaya has been urged to provide sufficient immunisation centres for both locals and foreign workers, especially in the rural areas across the country, in order to achieve the 80 per cent target of the Malaysian population to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
The Pakatan Harapan (PH) Immunisation Task Force in a joint statement today said that it had reviewed the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Handbook, which was launched by the Prime Minister earlier today, and had voiced its support towards the vaccination plan.
When launching the handbook, Muhyiddin said that the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine will arrive in the country this Sunday while the ‘roll-out’ for implementation of the immunisation programme begins in phases from February 26.
The task force, chaired by former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and represented by the PH three component parties, said effective communication is also important to ensure the success of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
“We urge the Federal government to provide comprehensive communication programme to explain the immunisation plan to both the Malaysian citizens and foreigners.
“Aggressive multi-model communication through various media in different languages must be carried out,” the statement read.
The task force had also called for the Federal government to allow PH representatives to be involved in the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Task Force to reflect the bipartisan spirit of the vaccination programme as well as for the national interest.
“The success of the national immunisation programme is important for economic recovery, to reduce the Covid-19 infection and to restore the lives of the people. Therefore the government and the opposition have to ensure that failure is not an option,” said the task force.
The statement added that the Opposition coalition also supports the efforts by the Health Ministry (MOH) and that the PH-led states, its parliament members and state representatives will work together and support the MOH to ensure that the national vaccination plan succeeds as it transcends political differences.
The joint statement was co-signed by Dr Dzulkefly (Kuala Selangor MP) and other PH members including former deputy health minister Dr Lee Boon Chye (Gopeng MP), Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, Lumut MP Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli, Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, Bangi MP Dr Ong Kian Ming, Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan state executive councillors for public health Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud, Dr Norlela Ariffin and Veerapan Supramaniam.
The PH Immunisation Task Force was formed on January 29 to ensure that the national Covid-19 vaccination programme succeeds once it kicks off.
