KUALA LUMPUR – A total of 17 Mara Liner buses will be used as Vaccination Centers (PPV) to outreach the rural population, especially for 206,000 Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia.
Rural Development Minister Datuk Dr Abd Latiff Ahmad said the logistics facility as well as the medical team from Uni Klinik are one of the efforts to help the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) to achieve the group immunity target by December 2021.
According to him, the Mara Liner company took a week to renovate 17 buses which will start its first operation in the kampung Orang Asli in Sungai Siput, Perak this Saturday.
“The first phase will focus on the Orang Asli community under the Agency of Ministry of Rural Development (KPLB) and the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA).
“The second phase is continued for the community under KPLB agency, including Lembaga Kemajuan Kelantan Selatan (Kesedar), Penubuhan Lembaga Kemajuan Terengganu Tengah (Ketengah), Lembaga Kemajuan Johor Tenggara (Kejora) and others,” he said after inspecting the PPV preparations to move at Depoh Mara Liner Bus in Batu Muda here on Tuesday.
Dr Abd Latiff said each bus would operate within 10 hours and was expected to be able to give Covid-19 vaccine injections to 400 recipients.
“The concept of this mobile PPV as the access will make it easier for the public to receive the vaccine. Those who do not register at MySejahtera can come and register manually to receive injections.
“Those who have registered with MySejahtera but have not set an appointment date can also utilize this facility.
“We have a target recipient, but the number depends on the supply of vaccines provided by the MOH,” he said.
He added that the response carried out through the same program before was encouraging, including among Orang Asli community.
Asked about the method of ensuring Orang Asli are involved in the vaccination program, Dr Abd Latiff said, the MOH has extensive experience in ensuring the community to receive vaccination.
He explained that although there are some constraints such as internet access problems, a total of 624 Tok Batin Orang Asli played an important role in providing information to the community.
An estimated 206,000 Orang Asli are found in Peninsular Malaysia and of that number, 58 percent or 61,815 vaccine registration forms were received from these groups.
