MELAKA,Mar 2: The Melaka state government has denied allegations that more than 100 state politicians have been given priority, ahead of frontliners, for vaccination in the first phase of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
In response to allegations made on social media, executive councillor Rahmad Mariman said the list of eligible people is determined by the state Health Department without the intervention of any party.
He said the state-level immunisation programme would begin tomorrow, with the chief minister, Sulaiman Md Ali, to be the first to receive the vaccine, followed by all executive councillors and state assemblymen and MPs as well as frontline staff of the health ministry and others.
Rahmad said all vaccine recipients for the first phase were those who were included in the definition of frontline staff set by the ministry and would be vaccinated between March 2 and April 30.
“They will receive the date and time of the appointment through the MySejahtera application,” he said. The Kelantan Health Department and the state government has rearranged the list of those who will be among the earliest to receive the Covid-19 vaccine at the Kota Darulnaim Complex, Kota Bharu.
The Kelantan state government is reported to have rearranged a list of vaccine recipients after allegations were made that 120 staff of the state secretary’s office had been given priority ahead of frontliners.
Malaysiakini quoted an anonymous source as saying that health officials had told last week of a quota for 120 recipients, followed by a chat group message that the state list had been given priority.
“But when this issue came under scrutiny, I think the SUK made a U-turn,” the report said quoting a health worker. Several assemblymen also said their appointments had been postponed.
Yesterday, Kelantan executive councillor Izani Husin denied the allegations about state staff being given priority. However, science minister Khairy Jamaluddin called for whistleblowers to come forward.
