Police personnel manning a checkpoint at Jalan Channel in Sibu. – File photo
KUALA LUMPUR (June 8): Four months after the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) kicked off, roughly 79 per cent or 91,317 personnel from the Royal Malaysia Police have already received either their first dose or both doses of their Covid-19 vaccine as of June 6.
Bukit Aman Management Department director Datuk Ramli Din conceded that the distribution of vaccines fell under the purview of the Health Ministry (MoH) and the force had no control over the order by which its personnel would be vaccinated.
He was responding to media queries on why some police frontliners including those manning roadblocks were still awaiting their vaccination appointments since February this year when the first phase of the NIP which prioritised frontliners who are directly involved in the fight against Covid-19 began.
Despite being categorised as frontliners by the government and one of the earliest vaccine recipient groups, Ramli revealed that a balance of 23,179 or 20.24 per cent of police personnel have neither received their first dose or are still awaiting their second dose.
The aforementioned figure compromised both senior and rank-and-file police personnel.
“As the head of the Management Department, I wish I could have all my personnel vaccinated 100 per cent at this stage.
“PDRM has submitted all the names and details of its personnel to MoH from the very beginning.
“We certainly understand the constraints faced by MoH to distribute the vaccination nationwide according to all frontlines’ from various organisations,” he said in a statement here.
However, he assured that all personnel have been instructed to register themselves through MySejahtera and would be called up for vaccination as soon as possible by the health authorities.
Ramli also said the enforcement agency has also taken all precautionary measures by providing personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, face masks and hand sanitisers to protect and minimise the risk of personnel getting infected while on duty. – Malay Mail