KJ on refugees, migrant workers: We have to show it's safe to get vaccinated

 

The government will work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other NGOs to vaccinate refugees in the country, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said today.

The employers are responsible for registering their migrant workers for vaccination, whether they have valid documents or not, he said.

“We will be working together with the Home Ministry for refugees who have registered (with them).

“For refugees who carry the UNHCR card, we will be working with the United Nations (UN) to vaccinate them. So that will take place during Phase 3 (of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme),” Khairy said.

He was speaking at the weekly joint press conference with Health Minister Dr Adham Baba, held in Putrajaya, which was broadcast live via video conferencing and social media.

For migrant workers, they will also be vaccinated during Phase 3 and the economic sector phase, which Khairy said may start in June when vaccine supply is expected to increase and stabilise.

Previously, Khairy had said the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) would include undocumented foreign nationals, and he gave his assurance that the government would not arrest those who come forward for vaccination.

However, migrant workers have expressed scepticism towards the vaccination programme, despite Khairy’s assurance.

This is likely due to the several large-scale raids and arrests of hundreds of undocumented migrants last year by the Immigration Department after the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country early last year.

Asked how the government intends to shore up confidence among refugees and migrant workers towards the vaccination programme, Khairy said the government will have to demonstrate that they would not go back on his assurance.

“I think one key step towards increasing confidence among these refugees is the demonstration of fact.

“Once we start working together with NGOs and the UNHCR to vaccinate refugees and they themselves can see they can come forward to get vaccinated without facing any consequences, then word will spread, and they will be more confident to come out to get vaccinated,” he said.

Khairy Jamaluddin

On a separate issue, Khairy said he had received requests for husbands and wives to be given the same appointment in Phase 2 of NIP to make it easier for them to attend the appointment.

As such, he confirmed that those who registered their partners as their dependents via the MySejahtera app would receive the same appointment.

For those who registered separately, but qualify as a dependent as well as a vaccine recipient under Phase 2, they can call the ministry’s hotline to request for the same appointment.

“I want to inform them that they can call our hotline to request so that the appointments for husband and wives in Phase 2, or any other dependent who qualifies to receive the vaccine in Phase 2, be given the same appointment date and time to make it more convenient for them,” Khairy said.

Phase 2 of the NIP, which focuses on senior citizens above the age of 60, those with co-morbidities and people with disabilities, started today in several states. The other states are expected to start Phase 2 within this month. - Mkini