KUALA LUMPUR – The government is mulling the idea of taking legal action against anti-vaccine groups in the country if they are found to have incited public opinion against the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK).
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the government had, in fact, asked the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee (JKJAV) to study the possibility of making the vaccination compulsory for all if the number of those registered in the programme remains far from achieving herd immunity.
“I hope we can speed up the vaccination process. What’s important now is to have no one saying no to vaccination.
“We don’t want only half (of the population) getting vaccinated, because it will have consequences.”
Muhyiddin said this after visiting the vaccination centre at the Malaysian International Trade and Exhibition Centre here today.
Also present were PICK Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.
Muhyiddin said almost 13 million people in Malaysia have registered for vaccination so far, but the number was only 50% of the total number expected to register and ensure the success of the national immunisation programme.
He said the government will strive to expedite the vaccination process and achieve herd immunity faster, including through efforts to increase the number of vaccine centres both in urban and rural areas.
“We also call on private clinics to help the government. There are approximately 8,000 private clinics in the country and if they are included in our programme, more people can get vaccinated,” he said.
Muhyiddin also said that there was no issue of vaccines being out of stock in the country as more than 100% of the stocks secured last year have arrived and the number continues to increase to accelerate the vaccination programme. – Bernama, June 4, 2021
