Undocumented migrants or stateless individuals who live in the Klang Valley can get free vaccination via the Selangor government's Selvax community Covid-19 vaccination programme.
According to the state executive councillor in charge of Health, Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud, they only need to register via the Selangkah application and show up for vaccination at Kompleks PKNS from Aug 10 to 13.
She said this when asked to clarify the state's announcement that only non-citizens living in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and parts of Negeri Sembilan that are deemed to be under the Klang Valley, and who have passports, can receive the Selvax vaccination.
Siti Mariah said those without documentation or passports on hand can use their phone numbers as identification on Selangkah.
"As long as the name and phone number used for the first and second dose is consistent," she said when contacted.
They will have to choose the Kompleks Sukan PKNS vaccination centre and enter the code SELVAXBWNPKNS when registering on Selangkah.
This offer also extends to refugees, who are deemed as undocumented migrants in Malaysia.
According to UNHCR records, some 70,101 refugees reside in Selangor.
The government does not release data on estimates of undocumented migrant workers in each state.
However, the Department of Statistics said there are an estimated 448,500 migrant workers in Selangor.
Besides undocumented migrants, many foreign workers who are in the country legally may also not have easy access to their passports, which are held by agents or employers.
Slow take-up
The community vaccination programme is part of Selangor's bid to boost vaccination in the state.
From Aug 3 to 13, Selangor residents aged 18 and above will be able to receive free vaccination via Selvax at any six vaccination centres in the state.
This offer is open to those who have yet to receive their first dose appointments via the federal government's MySejahtera application.
They will need to register via the Selangkah application and enter the codes for the vaccination centre they prefer.
The vaccinations centres open to citizens are:
- Tropicana Gardens Mall, Kota Damansara (Code: SELVAXTGM);
- Evo Mall, Bandar Baru Bangi (Code: SELVAXEVO);
- Hotel De Palma, Shah Alam (Code: SELVAXDEPALMA);
- Kompleks Sukan PKNS (Code: SELVAXPKNS); and
- Aurora Place, Bukit Jalil (Code: SELVAXAURORA)
The Kompleks Sukan PKNS centre will only be open to citizens until Aug 9 to give way to non-citizens from Aug 10 to 13. Non-citizens will have to use the code SELVAXBWNPKNS.
Despite the fast-track vaccination provided by the state, volunteers at these vaccination centres said the take-up has been slow.
Yesterday, one volunteer at Tropicana Gardens Mall took to social media to say they had prepared to dispense up to 2,000 of the state government purchased Sinovac vaccines that day, but only 200 recipients showed up by noon.
Walk-in vaccination in Klang Valley opens in stages
Selangor's initiative runs parallel to the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) by the federal government.
It is also part of the national effort to boost vaccination in Klang Valley, the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak in Malaysia.
Up to Aug 3, 97.8 percent of all registered adults in the Klang Valley have received their first dose while 41.3 percent have received both, the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force data shows.
To pick up the balance, including those unregistered, 10 NIP vaccination centres are also allowing walk-in vaccination from Aug 2 to 22, starting 2pm.
The only condition is for recipients to prove residency in the Klang Valley, including through utility bill, work pass, tenancy agreement and so on.
The walk-in vaccination centres are:
- The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (HCO F);
- The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (HCO G);
- The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (HCO H);
- Bangi Avenue Convention Centre (BACC);
- Hotel Wyndham, Klang;
- Dewan Tun Razak, Sabak Bernam;
- Dewan Komuniti Serendah;
- Movenpick Hotel and Convention Centre KLIA, Sepang;
- Ideal Convention Centre, Shah Alam (IDCC); and
- Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil (walk-in for non-citizens only, from Aug 9 to 22)
However, walk-in vaccination under NIP is allowed in stages, according to age and citizenship.
Citizens in the Klang Valley aged 40 and above can walk in for vaccination starting Aug 2 while non-citizens aged 40 and above can only do so starting Aug 9.
Citizens in the Klang Valley aged 18 and above can walk in for their vaccination, starting Aug 5, while non-citizens aged 18 and above can do so from Aug 12.
Earlier, the minister in charge of the NIP, Khairy Jamaluddin, said the Home Ministry would make an announcement on safe passage for undocumented migrants to receive their Covid-19 vaccines.
This is amid fears that the Immigration Department would round up undocumented migrants who walk into vaccination centres, but its director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud gave his assurance last week that the department would not interfere with the NIP nor station its personnel to arrest undocumented migrants near vaccination centres. - Mkini
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