PUTRAJAYA’s decision on the ceiling price for Covid-19 self-test kits is final despite the issues raised by retailers and suppliers, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said.

“I know about their statements but we have to balance between the suppliers, retailers and the people.

“If we were to give them a month to clear up their stock, the ones who would be shouldering the burden of having to pay as high as RM40 per kit are the rakyat,” Khairy said.

Putrajaya yesterday announced new ceiling prices for the wholesale and retail sales of self-test kits, which are effective Sunday.

The wholesale price will be fixed at RM16, while the kits will retail at RM19.90.

The Malaysian Pharmacists’ Society had objected to the move, saying that the price cap was too sudden and too steep.

The society said community pharmacists had paid between RM22 and RM32 per kit when purchasing from suppliers.

Khairy, however, said the government had decided on the matter and will side with the consumers.

“They (consumers) have asked for a ceiling price to be set on test kits as soon as possible. The decision is done,” he said.

He also said the Health Ministry would look into putting a cap on prices for RTK Antigen and RT-PCR Covid-19 tests.

In a separate issue, Khairy said he will have a discussion with Education Minister Md Radzi Jidin on the vaccination mandate for teachers.

He said Putrajaya is looking into whether Covid-19 immunisation can be made compulsory for teachers, as well as legal issues related to the matter.

“We have to discuss with the Education Ministry because there are also legal implications.

On Wednesday, Khairy said the Health Ministry may consider making vaccination against Covid-19 mandatory in order to address the issue of anti-vaxxers.

He had said he was not far from proposing a mandate to make vaccination compulsory to the cabinet.

“For the time being, the government has maintained that we are not going to legally mandate vaccines as mandatory.

“I’ve not come to the stage where I would recommend to the cabinet a federal mandate but I’m not far from it either.”

Yesterday, Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah warned that Al-Quran and Fardu Ain class (KAFA) teachers in Selangor who refuse vaccination may risk being relieved of their duties.

The sultan said that around 326 KAFA teachers have yet to receive their vaccination, while 95 teachers refused to be vaccinated.

The sultan said 268 national primary school teachers and 182 national secondary school teachers in Selangor have also refused vaccination.

“This also will endanger primary school and secondary school students in Selangor and this matter must be handled by those responsible,” he said, adding that the public should not be hesitant about receiving their Covid-19 jabs. – September 3, 2021.