Sabah gets RM200,000, vaccine offer from private firm

 

Chief minister Hajiji Noor receiving a mock cheque for RM200,000 from Kanger International Bhd executive director Steven Kuah. On the left is the state local government and housing minister Masidi Manjun. (CM Dept pic)

KOTA KINABALU: A private investment holding company has donated RM200,000 to Sabah to help in the fight against Covid-19.

Kanger International Bhd has also offered to donate Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines, of which it is the distributor for Malaysia, to the state.

However, the state government will only take up the offer once the vaccine has been given the green light by the health ministry’s National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA).

Chief minister Hajiji Noor said the contribution to the state Covid-19 committee would go a long way in fighting the pandemic.

“I hope more will come forward and emulate Kanger’s gesture,” he said during a brief presentation ceremony at the state administrative centre (PPNS) here today.

Kanger International Bhd executive director Steven Kuah handed over the contribution to Hajiji.

“Hopefully, the contribution will help lessen the burden of the people,” he said.

Hajiji also said he was happy to see more people beginning to realise the importance of being vaccinated.

Despite some baseless allegations over the vaccines continuing to make their rounds, he said, many people have been turning up at the vaccination centres to get vaccinated.

So far, Sabah has received 223,470 doses for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme from the federal government.

The programme is in its second phase until August, said Hajiji.

However, as of Wednesday, only 17% or 498,392 of Sabah’s population have registered for the programme.

Twenty private clinics throughout the state would be turned into vaccination centres soon, in addition to the centres located at 24 hospitals, 28 government clinics and 24 non-health ministry facilities such as government buildings. - FMT