Khairy says many seeking ‘frontliner’ status, but Covid-19 vaccines limited; transport sector to get priority for now
KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — The government has been swamped with applications from diverse economic sectors to be granted “frontliner” status and prioritised for Covid-19 vaccination, minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.
However, he said the limited stock of vaccines in the country means the government will not be able to accommodate everyone simultaneously.
“So we have received a lot of different applications for different sectors to be considered frontliners, and of course the constraint was supply,” the science, technology and innovation minister said during a virtual meeting with members of the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Malaysia.
As such, Khairy who has been put in charge of coordinating the National Immunisation Programme, said the government will start vaccinations for workers in the transport sector.
“Tomorrow, I will be in Port Klang with Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong to launch the vaccination programme for the transport sector, starting with the port operators and the cargo operators and we will be getting around to the e-hailing drivers and food delivery drivers in July,” he said.
Wee is the transport minister.
The Rembau MP was responding to a question from the president of the Malay Chamber of Commerce (DPMM), Abd Halim Husin, who had suggested that the government prioritise those in the delivery service line, such as e-hailing drivers and riders as well as courier service workers.
Abd Halim said that owing to the nature of their job, the workers may be infected without them realising, and therefore pose a risk to others.
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