The Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today announced that the government has signed an agreement with the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to obtain 6.4 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine, an additional 10% to the vaccine supply that the country will receive.
He said this meant that the government now obtained a total supply guarantee of 40%, including through two agreements previously signed with COVAX and Pfizer facilities.
According to Bernama, through an agreement signed with COVAX and Pfizer facilities, Malaysia is scheduled to receive supplies covering 30% of the country's people.
"The government is also in the process of final negotiations with Sinovac, CanSino and Gamaleya to obtain additional vaccine supply guarantees in excess of 80% of the country's total population or 26.5 million," he said in a video recording of the latest developments on the issue broadcast by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM).
The previous government aimed to ensure vaccine coverage to 70% of the people.
He added that through all the negotiations and agreements that have been and will be signed so far, the government will spend a total of US $ 504.4 million (RM2.05 billion).
Commenting further, Muhyiddin said the agreement with Sinovac, CanSino and Gamaleya would also provide added value to the local science and technology sectors which would give returns to the people and the development of the country.
"This includes conducting vaccine bottling processes in the country, research and development, as well as knowledge sharing and technology transfer," he said.
According to Muhyiddin, the government will continue to hold talks with other pharmaceutical companies to ensure that the country has adequate access to vaccine supply.
"The vaccine obtained will be ensured to be safe and effective," he said.
The prime minister said the government was aware that efforts to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic from spreading were important to ensure that the economic situation of the people and the country could be repaired at an immediate rate.
