KUALA LUMPUR: All Members of Parliament (MPs) should be among the first to receive the Covid-19 vaccines to set an example to all Malaysians, said the Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS).
Its president, Amrahi Buang, said vaccinating lawmakers first would set the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme in motion.
"As this immunisation programme is the first of its kind in the country, the MPS urges all parliamentarians to be vaccinated on the first day of the rollout, as they are the people's representatives.
"This is a realistic recommendation and should be done, as MPs are important leaders in their constituencies.
"This would drive the spirit among their constituents to also make the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme a success," he said in a statement today.
Amrahi said it was through leadership by example that ordinary people would confidently participate in the inoculation.
He also welcomed the government's decision to provide vaccinations for free to all, including non-citizens in the country, in an effort to break the Covid-19 chain.
Amrahi called on the government to include and empower communities to reach its main objective in the national immunisation plan, which is to achieve herd immunity as fast as possible.
"Without active participation from the community, the programme could be hampered."
Yesterday, Cabinet decided that foreign citizens residing in Malaysia would receive Covid-19 vaccines for free under the National Immunisation Programme.
This will include diplomats, expatriates, students, foreign spouses and children, foreign workers as well as UNHCR card holders.
In a statement, the Special Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Committee (JKJAV) said Cabinet had agreed on this as the procured amount of vaccines is more than enough to inoculate Malaysians.
The JKJAV is headed by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
On Feb 4, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the government would start the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme from the end of this month, with the government targeting 80 per cent of the country's population or 26.5 million individuals receiving the vaccines which are to be given free in three phases.
The first phase from February to April is for a total of 500,000 frontline personnel directly involved in the fight against the pandemic.
The second phase from April to August is for high-risk groups of senior citizens, aged 60 and above, and vulnerable groups with morbidity problems such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as the disabled.
The third phase is for adults, aged 18 and above, from this May to February next year.