KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — The government has approved amendments to the National Trust Fund (KWAN) Act 1988 (Act 339), which allows funds from KWAN to be used for the procurement of vaccines and any expenditure incurred in relation to the vaccines.

This is based on the Emergency (National Trust Fund) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, which comes into operation today, through the Federal Government Gazette published by the Attorney General’s Chambers today.

The ordinance, amended in Section 6, was promulgated by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, on April 14 pursuant to Clause (2B) of Article 150 of the Federal Constitution.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is satisfied that immediate action is required to amend the National Trust Fund Act 1988.

The new subsection states that "the procurement of vaccines and any expenditure incurred in relation to the vaccines for an epidemic of any infectious disease as specified under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342)”.

On January 12, Istana Negara, in a statement, announced that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented to the Proclamation of Emergency to be implemented nationwide until August 1, as a proactive measure to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the country. — Bernama