All vaccination centres (PPVs) have been instructed to accept migrant workers who have confirmed appointments in their MySejahtera applications, according to National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
Khairy said the instruction was issued following complaints received that migrant workers were turned away from certain PPVs despite obtaining an appointment for their Covid-19 vaccine.
"We received the complaints about migrant workers.
"We have instructed our PPVs, if they have appointments, they will be vaccinated at the PPVs," said Khairy during an online press conference with Health Minister Dr Adham Baba today.
The Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister also confirmed that migrant workers with valid appointments are not restricted to only being vaccinated via the public-private sector partnership (Pikas) programme run by the International Trade and Industries Ministry.
"They do not have to be vaccinated under Pikas.
"We have received a few complaints and given clear instructions for the PPVs to proceed and vaccinate the migrant workers," he said.
Pikas, launched as Phase 4 of the NIP, aimed to accelerate vaccination for about two million workers in the manufacturing sector by the end of the third quarter this year.
Asked for an assurance of safe passage for undocumented migrants to come out and get vaccinated, Khairy said the Home Ministry will be tabling a "much delayed" cabinet paper next week for a decision to be made on a framework to vaccinate undocumented migrants including refugees.
Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin previously insisted it would be "impossible" to administer vaccines to individuals who are undocumented, as there would be no way to keep track of their status here.
He said this in defending the ministry's stand to launch large-scale crackdowns against undocumented migrants amid the pandemic, with the option to either be deported or legalised to work here. - Mkini
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