THE Penang government will allocate 500 Covid-19 self-test kits to each of its 40 state assemblymen and 13 parliamentarians to be distributed free to those in need, says Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
He said details about the distribution method would be announced later.
“The self-test kits, in total, will cost the Penang government about RM400,000.”
Chow’s announcement came following a decision by the Federal Government to put a ceiling price of RM19.90 for the self-test kits in retail stores and RM16 for wholesale price starting Sept 5.
“We welcome the joint move by the Health Ministry and the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to cap the prices.
“The Penang government hopes that the prices can be further reduced as more people will use the self-test kits during this pandemic period,” Chow said during his winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly sitting today.
As of yesterday, Penang reported a total of 88,253 Covid-19 cases and 603 deaths.
Just a day earlier, Lee Khai Loon (PH – Machang Bubuk) had suggested that self-test kits be given to those in the B40 group or lower income group free of charge.
He even suggested that the RTK antigen test be fixed at RM50 at private clinics instead of the current market price of between RM100 and RM150.
Self-test kits are expected to be more in demand following public awareness in self-assessment to ensure they are not infected.
Traders who flout the new regulation under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act face a maximum fine of RM100,000 or jailed up to three years, or both for the first offence.
Repeat offenders can be punished with a fine up to RM250,000, or jailed up to five years, or both upon conviction.
Corporate bodies can be punished with a fine up to RM500,000 for the first offence and RM1 million for subsequent offences.
Chow added that Penang has been informed by the state Health Department that the state would be receiving 1,015,500 doses of vaccine for the whole of September.
“As a result of the current negotiations, the first delivery of 200,000 doses will be tomorrow (Sept 3). It was specially approved by the Ministry of Health (MOH) last week.
“With the approval of MOH, it does not mean that we reject the offer of a vaccine loan from the Selangor government,” Chow said.
He added that the loan offer from the Selangor government remains open and discussions will continue based on needs in the future.
He said this was agreed upon when Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Aminudin Shari paid him a courtesy call at his office in Komtar on Aug 31 and officially donated 20,000 doses of free vaccine in a symbolic handover ceremony in Seberang Jaya on the same day.
Penang, Chow said, has spent some RM180 million since the pandemic started in March last year in the fight against Covid-19.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Ahmad Adil Muhamad and Darwina Mohd Daud