THE PETRA Group had a fruitful meeting with the Honourable Science, Technology, and Innovation (Mosti) Minister Yang Berhormat Khairy Jamaluddin today (May 19) on moving forward with our intention to donate 200,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine.
In the meeting conducted virtually, we reiterated our sincerity in making the vaccines available to the most vulnerable groups. We also emphasised that we are offering the vaccines for free with no strings attached and that this is not a commercial arrangement.
Following the emergence of dubious offers to provide vaccines, we understand the minister’s apprehension and the need to conduct due diligence.
In sourcing for vaccines, we too have conducted the necessary checks on the manufacturer and distributor to ensure the vaccines are genuine. We believe the distributor we are in touch with is genuine.
It is unfortunate that we have been associated with “scam” companies by certain members of the press. We are dealing with these slanders separately through our lawyers.
PETRA Group and the Vinod Sekhar Trust are not associated with any other parties offering vaccines. We are in fact only wanting to purchase and provide approved vaccines for free, to the most vulnerable.
We explained to YB Khairy that in our correspondences to the government, we disclosed that we are able to bring in the vaccines directly and were seeking guidance on the correct means and appropriate channels to do so.
PETRA Group had written to the Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba on March 8; YB Khairy on March 31; and the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) on May 5 to express our desire to contribute to the vaccine procurement as part of national service.
We also explained to the minister that once the government is satisfied that our offer ticks all the right boxes, we will make the necessary arrangements and formalities to obtain the approvals needed to bring in the vaccines.
We are encouraged by the minister’s assurance that he will help facilitate the distribution of the vaccines once we have provided all the necessary documents to support our procurement from the manufacturer via an approved distributor.
The minister has also asked us to communicate with him directly to help realise our intentions of donating these vaccines.
We thank YB Khairy for his help and advice, and we also appreciate the enormous responsibility he shoulders as chairman of the Covid Immunisation Task Force (CITF).
We look forward to working closely with his office in ensuring the speedy arrival of these doses of Sinovac.
We believe we are in a position to support the government in its vaccine rollout – and we hope other companies and individuals who are as fortunate as us will also reach out to the government in the spirit of national service and assist in the mass vaccination programme that is crucial in stemming the spread of the covid-19 virus. – The Vibes, May 19, 2021
Datuk Dr William Stevenson is the chief government liaison officer of the PETRA Group
