THE state constituency service centres have started to play their roles actively by assisting the Penang government to encourage and help the public, especially senior citizens, to register for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
The National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme was kicked off on Feb 24 when Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin became the first Malaysian to be inoculated.
In Penang, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow was the first person from the non-medical profession to be vaccinated on Feb 28.
The programme is being conducted over three phases, with the first phase starting from February to April for frontline workers involving 500,000 people.
The second phase will run from April to August, involving senior citizens aged 60 and above, as well as vulnerable groups with morbidity issues and persons with disabilities.
The third phase is scheduled from May this year to February next year for all aged 18 and above and those who were not vaccinated before.
The Health Ministry aims to provide immunisation against Covid-19 infection to about 80% of the country’s 33 million people to achieve herd immunity by February 2022.
Buletin Mutiara managed to interview a few state assemblymen to know more about the initiative through their constituency service centres. Below are their comments.
Gooi Hsiao Leung, Bukit Tengah assemblyman:
“For Bukit Tengah service centre, we have launched a Covid-19 vaccination campaign on March 11 to help the people, especially the senior citizens in Bukit Tengah constituency, to register for the vaccination programme.
“Through this campaign, my office has prepared a vaccination registration form and information leaflet that was based on the information from the MySejahtera application and the official website of the Health Ministry (MoH).
“These forms and leaflets will be compiled together and distributed to all residents with the cooperation of Bukit Tengah MPKK (Village Community Management Council).
“We will also explain to them about Covid-19 vaccination as well as the importance of being vaccinated.
“So far, the campaign has been well received by all residents in Bukit Tengah and I am aware that there are still many of them who have not yet registered as vaccine recipients, especially the elderly.
“Thus, I hope this campaign can encourage not only senior citizens, but people of all walks of life because only through this vaccination, we can be safe and stand a chance to have our life returned to normal again.”
Satees Muniandy, Bagan Dalam assemblyman:
“My service centre has set up a registration counter for Covid-19 vaccination in wet markets in Bagan Dalam and Butterworth during weekends.
“Among the public markets were Sri Bandar wet market, Jeti Lama public market, Taman Bagan public market and Taman Selat Rope Walk.
“The objective is to assist the public to register themselves for the Covid-19 immunisation programme.
“The majority of them whom we have helped are senior citizens who don’t have a MySejahtera app or a smartphone.
“Thus, it is very important for us to continue this initiative to ensure that the public, especially senior citizens, are registered and are ready to be vaccinated in the next phase of the programme.
“And also if anyone has problems with registration, please do not hesitate to come and see us. We are ready to help you.”
Joseph Ng, Air Itam assemblyman:
“My service centre team was among the first to start assisting the state to encourage and help the public, especially senior citizens, to register for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.
“We set up a counter at the Air Itam Market from 8am to 10am on Saturdays and Sundays to help the public register for the vaccination programme.
“We also remind the people to always adhere to the SOPs.”
Syerleena Abdul Rashid, Seri Delima assemblyman:
“In Seri Delima, we have set up registration kiosks at the food court areas in Island Glades, Taman Tun Sardon Astaka and Greenlane Heights Market Food Court to make it easier for the public to register themselves for the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
“From this, we noticed that there are many senior citizens who have not registered yet for the programme because they don’t have a smartphone.
“Thus, together with Seri Delima MPKK and Seri Delima JPWK (Women and Family Development Committee), we will further expand to other locations in the constituency, such as at night markets and also a few apartments in Seri Delima as well.
“We will try our best to register as many people as we can.”
Lim Siew Khim, Sungai Pinang assemblyman:
“As for Sungai Pinang service centre, together with Sungai Pinang MPKK, we have started operating mobile community services’ counters here to help the public apply and register for the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
“We started setting up the mobile counters about a month ago at the housing and commercial area in Sungai Pinang to encourage the public, especially the senior citizens to register for the vaccination programme.
“They just need to come here and we will guide them on the registration by just filling out the forms.
“So far, the mobile counters have been well received as there is a constant crowd here. And we will continue doing it.”
Muhammad Faiz Fadzil, Permatang Pasir assemblyman:
“My service centre now has doubled up its efforts to encourage the public to register for the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
“We have also used other measures, such as Facebook and WhatsApp, to channel important information regarding the vaccination with the aim of encouraging them to come forward to register.
“With the help from Permatang Pasir MPKK, we have also distributed leaflets regarding Covid-19 vaccination to the housing areas, markets, mosques and non-Muslim houses of worship in Permatang Pasir constituency.
“And we hope more people, especially the senior citizens, will show up for the registration.”
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix courtesy of YB’s offices