THE Penang government hopes that the applications for three on-site vaccination centres (PPVs) under the Public-Private Partnership Covid-19 Industry Immunisation Programme (Pikas) will be approved as soon as possible.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said this is crucial to enable about 300,000 economic frontliners in the state to receive their vaccinations under the programme within the stipulated period.
“Previously, the Penang government had sent an official letter to the International Trade and Industry Minister (Miti) requesting for the implementation of on-site PPVs involving three multinational companies to be approved soonest to increase the existing capacity.
“As of now, we only have two special PPVs to cater for economic frontliners under Pikas. The first one at Bukit Jawi Golf Resort has already started operating since yesterday while Hotel Equatorial Penang will start operating on June 28.
“So clearly, we need to have more on-site PPVs to cater for our large numbers of economic frontliners in Penang.
“And I hope in view of the official visit of Miti Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali today, he will approve the applications to allow these on-site PPVs to be operational as soon as possible,” Chow said in the press conference together with Azmin during a visit to the Bukit Jawi Golf Resort in Nibong Tebal today.
Pikas is a public-private partnership programme rolled out by Miti and supported by the private sector that will provide the usage of worksites, convention and exhibition centres as PPVs that includes the services of both medical, non-medical and security personnel.
The objective of the programme is to facilitate the Federal Government’s efforts to accelerate vaccination for the people and achieve herd immunity by increasing the vaccination uptake among the economic frontliners and reduce the number of Covid-19 workplace clusters.
Meanwhile, Azmin said Miti would consider the state government’s request.
He also thanked the Penang government for its full cooperation with the Federal Government in its efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the same time, Azmin said that the Pikas initiative had started officially in four states yesterday.
“The four states are Selangor, Penang, Johor and Sarawak.
“These four states are chosen because there are many economic activities in these states and they are the main contributors to the country’s economy.
“We will roll out the Pikas initiative in other states as well in the nearest time.
“After all, it is the Government’s responsibility to protect the economic frontliners in terms of their health and safety because they are the backbone of our country’s economy,” Azmin said.
Also present during the visit today were Jawi assemblyman H’ng Mooi Lye, Bukit Tambun assemblyman Goh Choon Aik, Sungai Bakap assemblyman Datuk Dr Amar Pritpal Abdullah, Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud and Micron Malaysia vice-president and country manager Amarjit Singh Sandhu.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA) president Datuk Seri Wong Siew Hai also urged the Federal Government to approve their proposal to establish mobile vaccination units (MVU) so that these mobile units could service the SMEs with lesser headcount by going to their factories.
“This will reduce the movement of people while accelerating the vaccination programme. Together, we will flatten the curve and prepare the economy for a strong rebound,” Wong said in a press statement.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar
Video by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis and Ahmad Adil Muhamad