GOV’T PLANS TO VACCINATE 70% OF MALAYSIANS, HALAL ISSUE WON’T AFFECT

Mon 14 December 2020:

The government is planning to buy more COVID-19 vaccines to immunize as many as 70% of Malaysians, the country’s prime minister said on Sunday.

“As for Malaysia, we have already got 30%. I have instructed Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba along with Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar (Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation) to negotiate and increase it from 30% to 60% or 70%,” Muhyiddin Yassin told a gathering in Johor, Malaysia.

Muhyiddin said suppliers have been asked to expedite delivery of the vaccine, which is expected to arrive early next year.

In late November, he said the government plans to procure enough doses to vaccinate 6.4 million people. Malaysia, which has a population of 32 million, has ordered the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine, and an alternative from COVAX.

Halal issue won’t affect

Concerns over whether the Covid-19 vaccine is permissible for use by Muslims have surfaced as Malaysia signs deals with manufacturers to procure shipments.

The Special Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Malaysian Islamic Affairs met on Dec 3 to discuss whether the vaccine can be administered to Muslims. Religious Affairs Minister Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri said last week that the decision would be announced after it has been presented to the King, who oversees religious matters, for his consent.

Malaysian pharmaceutical company Pharmaniaga has said it is planning to build the world’s first halal vaccine facility by 2022.

Malaysia inked a deal with Pfizer in November to supply 12.8 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine for 20 per cent of the population. It has also entered a pact with the Covax Facility to cover another 10 per cent of the population.

The country is also set to obtain the vaccine from China, which has raised questions among Muslims over its halal status.

“Even if there is an ingredient which is not permissible, the chemical transformation process will make it clean and halal,” said Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin in a Facebook post after attending last week’s Muzakarah committee meeting.

The Southeast Asian country’s COVID-19 tally stands at 82,246, including 411 related deaths.