PARLIAMENT | Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has clarified that not all of the RM3 billion allocation under Budget 2021 will be used to obtain Covid-19 vaccines from US drugmaker Pfizer.
Khairy said he was made aware of a viral statement attributed to Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (BN-Gua Musang) on the costs to purchase Pfizer vaccines.
"(The statement claimed) the procurement of Pfizer vaccines is around RM2 billion, storage is RM1 billion.
"I can categorically state that (statement) is baseless and completely inaccurate," he added in winding-up his ministry's debate at the committee stage.
He was responding to Dzulkefly Ahmad (Harapan-Kuala Selangor) who alluded to Tengku Razaleigh's claim as reported by Astro Awani.
Khairy added that the actual procurement cost from Pfizer could not be revealed due to a non-disclosure agreement.
"But our agreements with Pfizer and through Covax are still way within our reach of the RM3 billion allocation for (vaccines to cover) 70 percent of the population," he stressed.
Khairy also reassured that the RM3 billion allocation would cover not only procurement costs but the related transportation and storage facilities needed.
Earlier today, the minister said the government has so far signed two agreements to secure enough supply of Covid-19 vaccines for 30 percent of the population.
The agreement with Pfizer, inked on Nov 24, comprised the purchase of 12.8 million doses or 20 percent of Malaysia's population. - Mkini
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