SANDAKAN – Sabah will not achieve herd immunity with the Covid-19 vaccination unless a system is created to manage the migrants here, said Sandakan MP Vivian Wong of DAP.
Wong estimated that Sabah has more than one million foreigners, including the undocumented and stateless persons.
“Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin who is in charge of the vaccination said all the foreigners in Malaysia will receive the Covid-19 vaccines for free.
“How many people is he talking about? What is their vaccination timeline?
“How is the government going to carry out the vaccination programme involving this group of people when the government itself doesn’t have records or information on their identities and whereabouts?
“I have repeatedly raised the issue of immigrants and undocumented persons in Parliament, the ‘mother of all problems’ for Sabah. Unfortunately, it takes a global pandemic to expose the problems related to them.
“We may not be able to achieve herd immunity if we do not vaccinate them. But to vaccinate them, we need a proper system to manage and control them, as there is none currently.
“It is time the government shows some real commitment and political will to resolve this issue once and for all,” she said in a statement today.
Meanwhile, Wong said despite Sabah receiving its first batch of vaccines today, Sabahans still know very little about the vaccine as there is no platform for them to ask questions.
She added that people here have raised concerns over the vaccine, and the government must help them to understand the vaccine better by becoming more proactive and transparent in communicating the vaccination programme.
“The people have a lot of questions, including if their existing health conditions allow them to take the vaccine, as well as the possible side effects.
“But are the relevant agencies setting up hotlines or communication channels to answer queries and concerns?
“The government must come up with a communication strategy to ensure accurate and up-to-date information are communicated effectively to all, especially those living in rural areas.”
She also questioned the limited information available on the Special Committee for Ensuring Access to Covid-19 Vaccine Supply (JKJAV) website, which did not specify the location of the five vaccines administration centres (VAC) and the one said to be in Sandakan.
“A lot of questions must be answered in order to ensure a smooth vaccination programme in Sabah,” she said. – The Vibes, February 25, 2021
