KUALA LUMPUR (May 31): Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad took to Twitter today to urge the Malaysian government to ramp up inoculation efforts and consider additional avenues which can be utilised for the exercise.
"By now everyone should know that the best way to reduce the number of new cases of infection by Covid-19 is to inject vaccines.
"But in Malaysia, so far only 3% of the 32 million have been vaccinated. It is 40% in the US, a much more populous country.
"People want to be vaccinated… But the process is tedious," Dr Mahathir noted.
He said it does not matter which vaccine one takes — whether Western, Russian or Chinese — as vaccination has reduced the number of new cases in the UK, the US and apparently, in China.
"The need to vaccinate is urgent. Forget politics. You are killing people by being dilatory. You will not be popular for that," added the former prime minister.
Dr Mahathir also called on the government to stop its monopoly on the import of vaccines and allow registered pharmaceutical companies to import and administer the vaccines.
"There are responsible companies which will not cheat. Records should be kept of course. The important thing is to increase by many times the rate of vaccination," said Dr Mahathir.
With regard to Malaysia's current efforts to ramp up vaccination rates, Coordinating Minister of National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Khairy Jamaluddin said yesterday that 500 general practitioners (GPs) would begin vaccination on June 15 and 1,000 GPs would be involved by the end of June.
He noted in a press conference that GPs and private hospitals would be able to administer 40,000 doses a day.
It was also announced that the pilot drive-thru vaccination at Hospital University Science Malaysia Kubang Kerian had been successful.
"We've received applications from other states who are interested to do the same and we are fine-tuning the guidelines to implement this," Khairy noted.
In a press conference today with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, Khairy promised to enhance the standard operating procedures at mega vaccination centres after concerns were raised.
Meanwhile, across the Causeway, Singapore announced vaccination measures today that include allowing walk-ins for senior citizens aged 60 and above for them to get their vaccine on the spot at any vaccination centre without prior booking.
Also, vaccination bookings will be open for students in Singapore from tomorrow onwards.