COVID-19 vaccine: Manufacturing, industrial workers in Penang, Selangor given priority

KUALA LUMPUR, April 13 -- Manufacturing and industrial workers, especially in Penang and Selangor, will be given priority to receive the COVID-19 vaccine injection, said Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.

Azmin said the two states were industrial zones with vibrant economic activities contributing to the country’s economy.

“These are the zones where the workers will be given priority to receive the injections," he told reporters after distributing bubur lambuk (rice porridge) to the public in Hulu Kelang near here today.

He was commenting on the statement made by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow saying that the state government was still waiting for a response from the federal government regarding the call for industrial and manufacturing sector workers, categorised as economic frontliners, to be given priority to receive the COVID-19 vaccine injection.

Azmin said the government was committed to ensuring the COVID-19 National Immunisation Programme process could be implemented as soon as possible, including providing vaccine injections to foreign workers.

“They (the workers) play an important role in restoring the country’s economy and if the vaccines could reach Malaysia on schedule, the vaccination process could be completed by the end of the year.

“So far, the supply of vaccines is running smoothly. We were informed that in May and June, the supply will increase significantly and this will speed up the immunisation process,” he said.

Asked about the ministry’s actions if the country is faced with the fourth wave of COVID-19 outbreak as the industrial sector was currently allowed to fully operate, he said it was ready to take any action based on the risk assessment submitted by the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Azmin said among the preventive measures taken by the industries were the introduction of the safe at work Standard Operating Procedures to curb the COVID-19 outbreak and to ensure manufacturing and industrial operations would not be disrupted.

-- BERNAMA