KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has identified several countries with which to form a collaboration and strategic partnership in the development of a vaccine for Covid-19.
Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the countries include China, the United Kingdom, South Korea, India, Bosnia and Russia.
He said some of the countries have already contacted Malaysia to express interest in collaborating on clinical trials for the Covid-19 vaccine once ready.
Mosti, together with the Health Ministry and the Foreign Affairs Ministry, are working very closely to ensure that the chosen country will get access to the needed facilities, data and resources.
“The government will engage with several countries which are in the midst of conducting their pre-clinical and clinical trials for the vaccine, via science diplomacy.
“We are willing to work together with countries in trying to develop the vaccine, and of course, to receive it as soon as possible,” he said in a joint press conference with Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein today.
Khairy said Malaysia has the expertise and scientists for vaccine development but lacks the human vaccine manufacturing capability.
“Malaysia is suitable to be involved in the human trial process because we are a multi-racial country which consists of all Covid-19 traits (A,B and C),” he said.
Meanwhile, Hishamuddin said several companies from China had expressed their desire to conduct laboratory and clinical tests of their vaccine with Malaysia.
“Even the Russian are ready to share their expertise and experience with other countries and we use the Joint Malaysia-Russia Commission for Economic, Scientific, Technical, and Cultural Cooperation (ESTC) as the platform to form scientific collaboration with them.
“Singapore has also expressed their interest to form a collaboration with our Health Ministry to produce Biotech Research Equipment,” he said, adding that South Korea and the United States are are now in the process of producing anti-viral vaccines and medicines through pharmaceutical companies.
Hishamuddin said the United Kingdom and Germany will be conducting their clinical tests for potential vaccines in the middle of the year.
In a separate matter, Hishamuddin said 511 Malaysians are still stranded abroad in 22 countries.