PUTRAJAYA: The government will not take any action against undocumented migrants who want to get vaccinated for Covid-19, health minister Khairy Jamaluddin has promised.
“The health ministry’s priority is to provide vaccines to everyone who resides in Malaysia,” he said at a press conference at the ministry today.
“We don’t turn anyone away and we provide vaccines for free to Malaysians, non-Malaysians and those without documents.
“We don’t take action against anyone.”
Khairy was commenting on the revelation that the Cabinet had decided that healthcare workers have to notify security forces if undocumented migrants are present at health facilities and vaccine centres (PPVs).
In a parliamentary written reply yesterday, home minister Hamzah Zainudin said this was among the SOPs on undocumented migrant vaccination which the Cabinet agreed upon on July 30.
Despite being questioned, Khairy did not disclose why the Cabinet’s decision was not made public earlier or if health workers could choose not to report the undocumented workers.
There are an estimated two to four million undocumented migrants in the country, and medical groups, civil society organisations and other groups have expressed concern that they would fear coming forward to get vaccinated if they faced immigration action.
Khairy has issued several reminders to undocumented migrants throughout the year that no action would be taken against them if they decide to get vaccinated. - FMT
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