KJ's 'rhetoric' to vaccinate undocumented migrants not enough - groups

De facto Covid-19 vaccination minister Khairy Jamaluddin's assurances to get undocumented migrants vaccinated for Covid-19 are insufficient, rights groups say.

They said the minister's words have not assuaged the migrants' fears of repercussions from the authorities if they come forward to get vaccinated.

According to NGO Migrant Care, this was as the minister's remarks were more rhetorical than a commitment.

"We thank Khairy for his kind initiative to put aside the exclusion policy pertaining to vaccination matters.

"(However) We see it as political rhetoric rather than a strong commitment to fight the Covid-19 pandemic," its coordinator Alex Ong told Malaysiakini.

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

He repeated such assurances recently, saying that the government would work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to help vaccinate refugees.

Despite this, migrant workers have expressed scepticism towards the vaccination programme. 

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

"There is very limited space for the Immigration Department to assist with a successful vaccination programme because the majority of the irregular migrants have pessimistic perceptions towards the department, which has never kept its promises as to the prioritised agenda," Ong said.

Meanwhile, Tenaganita executive director Glorene Das said the group has not yet been called for any government meetings to help plan the vaccination for undocumented migrants.

However, Glorene said there was a meeting with the UN's International Organisation for Migration.

"In that meeting, it was mentioned that there has to be real concrete action on the fear issue as it is still instilled in the community.

"If there is no assurance from the government on this, then the registration process will not be a success," she added.

Glorene said based on their past experience, employers would not facilitate the registration of undocumented workers for such programmes as it would get the company in trouble for harbouring undocumented migrants.

The undocumented migrants would also not come forward due to fear of arrest and detention, she added.  - Mkini