GEORGE TOWN, Aug 21 — The Penang government has set a target of vaccinating up to 12,000 traders and hawkers through the Community Vaccine Mobilisation (MOVAK) Programme which will begin on Aug 30.
The MOVAK programme is a collaborative effort between the Penang Secretariat Office, COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF), Ministry of Housing and Local Government, Penang Health Department, Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP).
Penang Housing, Local Government and Town and Country Planning Committee chairman Jagdeep Singh Deo today said that the MOVAK programme aimed to provide free COVID-19 vaccinations for the hawkers and traders and their respective employees in the state.
He said 10 specially modified buses would be used in five different locations between Aug 30 and Sept 2 (except for Aug 31).
“The five locations are Dewan Datuk Haji Ahmad Badawi in Seberang Perai Utara, Jalan Betek Sports Complex (Seberang Perai Tengah), Batu Kawan Stadium (Seberang Perai Selatan), Penang City Stadium (Northeast District) and Dewan Perda (Southwest District),” he said in a press conference.
Meanwhile, MBPP mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang said that the state government is considering imposing stricter standard operating procedures (SOP) for hawkers and traders operating in night markets, including only allowing fully vaccinated hawkers and traders to operate.
“As night market stalls tend to be more closely packed between one another and the premises can be easily crowded, we want to ensure that night markets are safe for the public against COVID-19,” he said.
He added that further announcements on the matter will be made via MBPP’s Facebook page.
