KUCHING, April 2 — The government is aware of Sarawak’s need for an additional supply of the Covid-19 vaccine, but the situation in other states must also be taken into account, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.
The prime minister said the request for additional vaccines by the Sarawak government was with basis.
“It is just that we have to go through the details as the other states also need the vaccine.
“What is most important is that we find a way to reduce the number of Covid-19 infections,” he told a media conference after a visit to the Sarawak General Hospital here today.
The prime minister arrived in Sarawak yesterday for a two-day working visit.
On March 18, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the Sarawak government had written to its federal counterpart about its wish to purchase Covid-19 vaccines.
Responding to this today, Muhyiddin said available stock by vaccine suppliers must also be taken into consideration by the government before it can approve additional supply to the states.
“The (vaccine) supplies do not arrive all at one go. That is why we have to send them by batches (to the states)… if the supplies are sent over quickly, then the states will get them quicker as well.
“We now have to follow a specific schedule (by suppliers). As such, we have to wait for the suppliers to send them over according to a specific timeframe, and that is (currently) our problem,” he said. — Bernama
