As politicians scramble, civil servants rise to the occasion in vaccine drive

PETRA Group chairman and chief executive Datuk (Dr) Vinod Sekhar relates his experience of being vaccinated yesterday.

With a weak heart that functions at 20%, he is in the high-risk group and appreciates the opportunity to be shielded from the virus. He believes a better planned and more equitable roll-out plan will see more people vaccinated, especially society’s most vulnerable.

My wife, Winy, and I received the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine yesterday.

With my health issues, it was an important moment for my family. I have to applaud and thank our healthcare workers, doctors and civil servants who made the process seamless, secure and completely stress-free.

It was all over in 30 minutes. To the civil servants of the Health Ministry and those in the Covid task force, including the non-medical frontliners involved in delivering the vaccines to us – THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.

You are superstars and a grateful nation bows to you.

Despite the political leadership, or lack thereof, you rose to the occasion and performed with exemplary professionalism and kindness.

You make Malaysia proud. You, not the politicians, are who this nation is counting on.
 
And to all my fellow citizens, please, when you get the opportunity, get vaccinated. The risks are minimal – and the benefits far outweigh any risk.

The best and safest vaccine is any approved vaccine available.

The faster we get vaccinated, the quicker our lives and society can return to an acceptable form of normality.

Now, the political leadership needs to get transparent, and do everything necessary to get our frontliners and civil servants the vaccines they need to save all Malaysians.

Involve the private sector transparently if you need help.

I’m getting vaccines.

We businessmen have the know-how and network to get things done, and can certainly use our ingenuity for national service.

We want to.

These vaccines are not for resale but to be donated – either for their own employees, or the most at-risk and underprivileged, such as the B40 community.

The political leadership responsible for our vaccines need to get their act together. Incompetence is no longer going to be forgiven or tolerated. – The Vibes, May 6, 2021