Rep to Khairy: Don't fixate on building mass vaccination centres

 

Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Rajiv Rishyakaran has chided the government for fixating on creating large vaccination centres and questioned if it was being responsible with taxpayer funds.

The DAP representative called on the government to focus on providing easier access to the Covid-19 vaccine for the public instead. 

"Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and the government should reconsider its obsession in creating super large vaccination centres, and instead focus on bringing the vaccines nearer to the people in a more convenient manner.

"Just recently, Khairy said he would also discuss with Perak Menteri Besar Saarani Mohamad to set up a larger vaccination centre in Ipoh. 

"Establishing one mega vaccination centre will be inconvenient specifically for the B40 group without their own transport. If mega vaccination centres are set up, even assuming one in each district or state, then there will be a lot of travelling for this group," Rajiv said in a statement today.

Khairy, while meeting with Saarani, said that the government was looking at one centre which can handle up to 8,000 vaccine recipients per day in the third phase, for example, the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

However, Rajiv said this was especially difficult in states where public transport is not as available the way it is in the Klang Valley.

"This may result in burdening them (vaccine recipients) with expensive travelling fees. Khairy should be aiming to set up more centres on a smaller scale almost equidistantly so that on average, everyone would have to travel the same distance to receive their vaccination shot.

"Setting up many small centres would also satisfy the objective of vaccinating more people while ensuring social distancing is in place without straining the people," he added.

He also said having large vaccination centres meant a lot of walking which would further trouble vaccine recipients.

Rajiv shared that when he went to receive his shot in the Sunway Convention Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, he had to walk a long distance from where he parked his car to where he got his shot.

"This would be a huge hassle to senior citizens and the differently abled community with mobility difficulties," he said.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin

Rajiv contended that renting convention centres for vaccination instead of using existing government buildings such as local health clinics was a poor use of resources.

"This raises the question of how much the ministry is paying attention to how they are spending taxpayer’s money.

"I strongly urge the government to reconsider the set up of mega vaccination centres and instead set up smaller-scale centres. While battling this pandemic, it is very important to keep in mind the welfare of the people," he said. - Mkini