PENANG Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has accepted the offer by state Health Department director Datuk Dr Asmayani Khalib to be the first candidate to receive the Covid-19 vaccination in Penang.
Dr Asmayani had proposed it during a press conference at the Penang International Airport (PIA) after witnessing the arrival of the first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine in Penang.
“I would like the Chief Minister to be the first person to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in Penang to show his strong support towards the programme by the Health Ministry,” she said.
The first shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine arrived at the Penang International Airport (PIA) at 5.31pm today.
The Cathay Pacific Cargo flight from Singapore, landed 29 minutes earlier than its scheduled arrival time.
Among those who witnessed the arrival of the vaccine were Chow, Deputy Health Minister I Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali, state Agrotech and Food Security, Rural Development and Health Committee chairman Dr Norlela Ariffin, Penang police chief Comm Datuk Sahabudin Abd Manan, National Security Council Penang director Nazrul Fazami Mohamad and Balik Pulau OCPD Supt A. Anbalagan.
Chow said he was willing to accept the offer by Dr Asmayani.
“I am willing to accept the offer as I am a state leader and I am also leading the vaccination effort under the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme in Penang.
“I believe it will be done in the coming week,” Chow said.
He said that the country had entered an important phase – the mass vaccination phase – in the fight against Covid-19.
“We had very limited success in the battle against the pandemic over the past one year.
“Many people have died due to the coronavirus. Our socio-economic development was impacted and the people’s livelihood have been severely affected.
“The mass vaccination programme gives hope that we can be on the road to recovery while we continue practising the 3Ts – testing, tracing and treatment,” Chow said.
Chow called upon all Penangites to support the mass vaccination programme and to make it successful.
“More information on the programme will be shared with the people to ensure mass participation.
“The Penang government is committed to giving its full cooperation to the Federal authorities to ensure that the vaccination programme in Penang will be carried out successfully,” Chow added.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Ahmad Adil Muhamad
Video by Alissala Thian