COVID-19 | Undocumented foreign nationals will not be arrested when they come forward for Covid-19 vaccinations, assured Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today.
The government will work with various groups including employers, NGOs and foreign embassies to encourage foreign workers and refugees to register for the vaccine, he also said.
The minister, who oversees the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, believed this assurance was crucial in ensuring herd immunity was achieved.
“We will be reaching out to embassies, international organisations, civil society organisation and NGOs to assist us in reaching out to undocumented foreigners.
“To bring them out and to get them vaccinated with the assurance we will not be apprehending them or detaining them.
“I think that's the most important message that we need to send out - that they can come forward freely and they will be confident that the government will vaccinate them and not detain them,” he said.
The government is administering vaccines for free to all who choose to register for them, regardless of citizenship status.
Meanwhile, Khairy said the Home Ministry and the Human Resources Ministry are coming up with an “implementation plan” to reach out to both documented and undocumented foreign nationals about the national immunisation programme.
“For foreign workers who are documented, we will be working together with their employers to ensure they can furnish us with their details.
“So that we can make appointments for these documented foreign workers to receive their vaccinations efficiently,” he said.
Aside from migrants, he hoped NGOs would also help the government reach out to rural communities like the Orang Asli and encourage them to get vaccinated.
“We must build trust in these communities so they can come forward willingly and freely so that we can administer the vaccines to them,” Khairy stressed.
Last May, immigration officers arrested 586 undocumented migrants living in several Kuala Lumpur localities that were placed under an enhanced movement control order (MCO) after recording Covid-19 outbreaks.
Eyewitnesses said that door-to-door checks were conducted and those without documentation were taken away in trucks.
Immigration officers also raided the Petaling Jaya Old Town market and arrested 200 undocumented workers while the area was placed under enhanced MCO.
M’sia as halal vaccine hub
Meanwhile, Khairy shared that foreign vaccine manufacturers have expressed interest in investing in Malaysia.
He said they were looking to build manufacturing plants to serve both regional and halal markets.
“Many vaccine producers have approached us in wanting to position Malaysia as a hub for Southeast Asia and also Muslim markets around the world because of our well respected and stringent halal certification.
“This is seen as a value add for many vaccine manufacturers,” he said.
The minister said he had discussed the matter with a Russian sovereign wealth fund and also with a party from India. - Mkini
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