VIPs Jumping Vaccine Queue Exposed By Social Media, KJ Vows To Take Action
200 Kelantan officials allegedly skipped the queue to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
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As Covid-19 vaccinations begin rolling out across the country, allegations of vaccine queue jumpers by VIPs have begun surfacing online.
Most notably is one exposed by Selayang Hospital Nephrologist Dr Rafidah Abdullah, who alleged that 200 members of the Kelantan state secretary office (SUK) are jumping the queue to receive the Covid-19 vaccination. She tweets that as a result of this queue cutting, doctors, nurses and healthcare frontliners who were scheduled to be amongst early recipients of the vaccine now have to wait for their dose.
Currently, the national Covid-19 immunisation programme is in Phase 1 distribution with first priority for healthcare frontliners, followed by essential services, defence and security frontliners.
(Credit: @kementeriankesihatanmalaysia/Facebook)
READ MORE: Want To Get Vaccinated? Here’s All You Need To Know About The National Covid-19 Immunisation Program
Following the widespread outrage of the allegations, Science, Technology & Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has vowed to investigate the claims of the queue jumpers.
He said that the issue of “queue jumpers” is a serious one and that Health Director General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah has been notified.
The minister also gave his assurance to whistleblowers, who can drop him an email anonymously at kj@mosti.gov.my.
My team has been monitoring whistleblowers’ comments on social media about vaccine queue jumping. I share it immediately with Datuk Dr Chong Chee Kheong (Health Ministry’s Deputy Director-General) who is with me in the task force to investigate. We take every exposé seriously. Vaccine equity is important.
Khairy Jamaluddin, Science, Technology & Innovation Minister.
In another tweet, Khairy explained that state and federal representatives are included in the first phase of vaccinations. However, there are VVIPs who are not elected representatives that want to be among the first to get the vaccine.
He however urged them to take the vaccine in stages, stating “There are some states who give their exco (executive council) in one shot. Not good.”
My team has been monitoring whistleblowers’ comments on social media about vaccine queue jumping. I share it immediately with Dato’ Dr Chong DDG @KKMPutrajaya, who is with me in the task force, to investigate. We take every expose seriously. Vaccine equity is important.
— Khairy Jamaluddin 🇲🇾🌺 (@Khairykj) February 28, 2021
The aftermath
The Kelantan State Local Government, Housing and Health Committee has denied the allegations that 200 SUK members had jumped the queue for the Covid-19 vaccine, calling it untrue.
Dr Rafidah later tweeted out her joy after Khairy’s response to state that the “queue jumpers” have been foiled.
She stressed that frontliners in critical areas should not be sidelined for their vaccinations and called for VIPs and state/federal representatives to give way to the frontliners.
Apa2 pun, jgn lupa e-mail YB @Khairykj di kj@mosti.gov.my kalau mereka masih nak memintas. Pastikan kita frontliners di kawasan2 kritikal TIDAK DI-RATION pemberian. Contohnya pekerja lapangan, semua staf menjaga covid, Jbt Kecemasan, Anaestesiologi, makmal-makmal, Perubatan, dsb
— Dr. Rafidah Abdullah (@rafidah72) March 1, 2021
Meanwhile, Malaysians are urged to register via MySejahtera for their dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Find out more HERE.
READ MORE: Covid-19 Vaccine: Here’s How Malaysians Can Register For Their Dose
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