PETALING JAYA: The government’s public-private partnership Covid-19 industrial immunisation programme (Pikas) has begun, with its first on-site vaccination at manufacturing company Texas Instruments in Kuala Lumpur today.
At a press conference, international trade and industry (Miti) minister Azmin Ali said the first 300 of 2,371 workers at Texas Instruments will be vaccinated today.
He also said the on-site vaccination at the Bukit Jawi Golf Resort in Penang would kick off tomorrow, involving some 16,402 workers from 21 factories.
On Friday, another on-site vaccination will begin for 5,123 Petronas employees in Pengerang, Johor.
Azmin said a total of 150,000 vaccine doses will be allocated for the first phase of Pikas, which prioritises employees in manufacturing sub-sectors.
He said Miti has set up six vaccination centres (PPVs) under Pikas for companies with less than 1,000 workers to send their employees to receive their jabs.
“The health minister and Mosti (science, technology and innovation ministry) have said we will receive more vaccine supplies by July, and we will provide better facilities along with more PPVs in the coming months,” he said.
Azmin also said workers should not be asked to pay for their Covid-19 vaccination, as all incidental costs must be borne by their employers.
He said 500 companies involving 106,000 workers have applied to take part in the programme.-FMT