KUCHING: Sarawak government is now waiting for a conclusive response from the federal government regarding its plan to procure its own Covid-19 vaccine supply in order to step up its immunisation programme.
The state government has already sent a letter to National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on Mar 18 on the state’s intention to purchase its own vaccine.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said that the state is currently waiting for the outcome from the federal government.
“We are waiting for a conclusive response. At the moment, the indication (for Sarawak to buy its own vaccine) is quite positive,” he told reporters after receiving his final dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at Stadium Perpaduan, Petra Jaya today.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas who was present added that as targeted by the chief minister, the vaccination programme must be completed by August this year.
“Following the chief minister’s schedule, we must complete (the vaccination) by the end of August, but this depends on the availability of the vaccines,” he said.
On the preparation to administer the vaccine on the rural population, Uggah said that all Residents Offices have already made their planning to ensure that the whole area of Sarawak including the longhouses will receive the vaccine.
Meanwhile, Khairy, who is also the Science, Technology and Innovation Minister on Mar 18, was reported as saying that the government had no objections to states that wanted to purchase their own vaccine.
He said the government could give permission to states to procure the vaccines if they were able to do so, but the issue now is there is a problem of supply.
Besides Sarawak, it was also reported that the states of Selangor, Pahang, and Johor have also indicated about purchasing their own vaccines.
With Sarawak able to complete all the phases of the vaccination programme by August this year, that means the state would be ahead of the nation’s target of February next year.
