UNDOCUMENTED migrants will not be detained when they come forward to get their Covid-19 vaccinations, said Khairy Jamaluddin today.

The science, technology and innovation minister, who is also the coordinating minister for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, said his ministry was working with the Home Ministry to ensure undocumented migrants can get vaccinated without being detained.

“We will be reaching out to foreign embassies, international organisations and civil societies to assist us to reach out to the undocumented foreigners, to bring them out and get them vaccinated, with the assurance they will not be apprehended.

“That is the most important message we need to send out, so they can come forward freely and be confident that the government will vaccinate them and not detain them,” he said, while announcing the formation of the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force at Putrajaya today. 

Last week, the government said foreigners in the country would receive Covid-19 vaccines for free.

Khairy said the government must also build trust with refugee communities so they, too, will come forward willingly for vaccination.

He said he and the task force will work closely with civil societies and community leaders to ensure marginalised groups also receive inoculation.

They, too, must help the government reach those living in interior areas with information about the vaccination programme, he said.

“We need them to assist communities that may not have access to information, for example those in deep interior areas or Orang Asli settlements.  

“We need them to assist us in reaching out to these areas, helping us to register these communities who perhaps have no access to information about the vaccine programme,” he said, adding that increasing vaccine confidence among such groups is also very important. – February 17, 2021.