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KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 9.6 million people or 30 percent of Malaysia’s population is expected to be vaccinated against COVID-19 next year, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Saturday (Nov 28).
He noted that the government has signed two agreements for the acquisition of COVID-19 vaccines.
In addition to the deal with Pfizer that was announced on Friday, the prime minister said Malaysia signed an agreement with the COVAX facility to obtain enough vaccines for 10 percent of the country’s population.
Malaysia will receive the vaccine supply in stages from the first quarter of 2021, he said during his speech at the annual general assembly of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) which was held practically this year in light of COVID-19.
LEE: Malaysia agrees to buy 12.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer
Muhyiddin, who is chairman of Bersatu, said he is confident that with access to these vaccines and continued efforts to break the chain of infection, Malaysia can control the outbreak of the disease.
He also highlighted the importance of collaboration with the countries of the region to combat COVID-19 and reactivate the economy, as well as ensuring equitable access to the vaccine.
CHOICE WILL BE MADE “WHEN COVID-19 ENDS”
In his speech, the prime minister added that he expects the 2021 budget, which was approved at the political stage on Thursday, to be approved by Dewan Rakyat (lower house) and later Dewan Negara to ensure that the goal of extending aid to groups affected can be achieved.
“Some people feel that the 2021 budget should be rejected to force a general election. There is no need to do this, “he said.
On Thursday, Parliament approved the largest budget by oral vote despite weeks of threats from the opposition and some of Muhyiddin’s allies to derail the government’s 2021 spending plan, which could have triggered a crisis.
“If asked, even yesterday I could have advised Yang di-Pertuan Agong to dissolve Parliament for the general elections. But we all know that the problem is COVID-19. “
READ: Malaysia on China’s COVID-19 Vaccine Priority Recipient List: PM Muhyiddin
“God willing, when COVID-19 ends, we will hold general elections. We will return the mandate to the people and let them choose which government they want,” he said.
The eight-month-old Muhyiddin administration has clung to a two-seat majority in parliament, managing to fend off a leadership challenge from opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and contain growing dissent in the United Malaysia National Organization. (UMNO), the largest bloc in his coalition.
“I know that people are fed up with endless politicking. People want political leaders to help them, not constantly fight for power,” Muhyiddin said.
Malaysia announced on Friday that it agreed to buy 12.8 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer, becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to announce a deal with the American pharmaceutical company after some expressed reservations about the need for storage. ultra cold.
Muhyiddin said Malaysia would prioritize high-risk groups, including the front-line, the elderly and people with non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
Malaysia, which will distribute the vaccine to its people for free, is facing a new wave of COVID-19 infections with cumulative cases that have quadrupled since September to more than 60,000 through Friday.
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