KUALA LUMPUR – The government will inoculate people in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur who are not captured in Statistics Department data, including irregular migrants.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin told a joint online press conference with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba today that these individuals can head to any vaccination centres (PPVs) in the federal capital or Selangor once “Operation Surge Capacity” is over.
“For those who are not in the Statistics Department system, those who are not captured out of the 6.1 million population here, those whom we missed out and those without documents, or who are irregular migrants, and even others, we have made a decision.
“On August 1, after Operation Surge Capacity is over, all PPVs in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor will have the walk-in facility for people to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
“We want to ‘mop up’ everybody who has been left behind.”
Asked about safe passage for irregular migrants and refugees to and from PPVs, he said a cabinet paper on the matter will be presented by the Home Ministry next week.
The upcoming cabinet meeting will see ministers discussing and agreeing on a framework to vaccinate undocumented workers.
The Immigration Department and Home Ministry were recently criticised over their allegedly high-handed operations targeting this group.
Last year, Putrajaya courted controversy after Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob promised no repercussions for irregular migrants who register with the system. However, months after they did so, the government initiated a clampdown that caught international attention after Al Jazeera reported on the purportedly inhumane manner in which these workers were treated. – The Vibes, July 16, 2021
