KUALA LUMPUR – Following pressure from both sides of the political aisle, the government has decided to brief all 220 MPs, and not just selected ones, on the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
According to Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s office, all lawmakers will be invited to the briefing, which will most likely be held in Parliament.
Pakatan Harapan, led by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has responded to Khairy’s invitation to the opposition bloc to attend by saying all MPs should be briefed.
A similar call was made by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Speaking to The Vibes, an aide to Khairy, who requested anonymity, pointed to an exchange between the Rembau MP and Najib over the latter’s Facebook posts on March 9 and 10.
“Finally, as I said yesterday, a full briefing on the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme for all MPs will be held soon. Invitation letters will be sent out this week. So, I hope that Datuk Seri can attend the briefing.
“Datuk Seri can ask me directly, and I am ready to answer. After that, Datuk Seri can share the truth of the matter to your readers on Facebook,” said Khairy in one of his replies to his former boss.
Najib, who is also Pekan MP, has lambasted and questioned the government’s vaccination programme on the social media platform.
The aide said the date for the briefing has not been set, but it will most likely take place in Parliament.
Earlier, PKR information chief Fahmi Fadzil said PH had requested that Khairy brief all MPs in Parliament.
On February 25, Khairy sent a letter to Anwar, informing that he would like to brief coalition heads on the immunisation programme.
“After the leadership held the presidential council meeting, they agreed that it would be more beneficial for the briefing to be given to all MPs. Among the things we spoke about as of yesterday is that only around 4.7 million people have registered to be vaccinated,” said Fahmi.
“And this is, of course, insufficient, and a bit worrying. We need around 26 million. If that’s the case, then we are still a long way away. And, to rope in MPs would help expedite the registration based on our relationship with local communities.
“In my engagements, there are people who have misunderstood, and hope that the MPs will explain to them the vaccination procedure. MPs should be roped in because we can engage with the community on an extended basis. We are on the ground, people come to service centres.”
The opposition on March 6 sent a letter requesting Khairy brief all MPs on March 18 in Parliament.
Fahmi said he sent a letter of request to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Azhar Azizan Harun, seeking permission for the briefing to take place in the House.
The request is not for a Dewan Rakyat sitting, but merely a briefing for all lawmakers, he said.
On a report that there are PH lawmakers planning on “storming Parliament” on March 18, the Lembah Pantai MP described the headline as nothing more than “clickbait”.
“That’s a bit dramatic. If Malaysia Now wants to be sensational about it, it’s clickbait. That’s pure clickbait. I don’t know who they quoted.”
Meanwhile, Azhar said he has read news on the request made for Khairy to brief all MPs in Parliament.
Asked whether he will allow it to take place there, he said he has not received any request from the minister.
“He (Khairy) is supposed to make the briefing. So, it’s up to him to decide whether, firstly, he wants to make the briefing, and how the briefing is to be made.
“I can’t force any minister to do things. I think the proper person to decide on this would be the minister.” – The Vibes, March 11, 2021
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