Khairy challenges Kit Siang for showdown on vaccine purchase

(FMT) – Tired of all the accusations hurled against the government over the purchase of the Covid-19 vaccine, Khairy Jamaluddin has asked DAP veteran leader Lim Kit Siang to attend his press conference on the procurement details tomorrow.

In a tweet addressed to Lim, the science, technology and innovation (Mosti) minister said the opposition man was free to meet him at 1pm during the post-Cabinet meeting press conference.

“Please come to Mosti YB Lim Kit Siang. Or I will go wherever you are,” Khairy said briefly.

In another tweet, Khairy said he would also provide more details in his press conference on the delivery of the vaccines, scheduled to arrive in February next year.

Putrajaya has currently signed three agreements with Pfizer, Covax and most recently AstraZeneca to obtain the vaccines for up to 40% of the population.

Lim had previously highlighted a tweet by Belgian Secretary of State Eva De Bleeker who revealed that her country paid €12 (about RM60) per dose for Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine.

Lim claimed that Malaysia would be paying more than 20 times that price, based on reports of the RM3 billion allocation set aside by the government.

Khairy then clarified that RM3 billion was for a range of Covid-19 vaccines aside from Pfizer, and meant to cover at least 70% of the population.

The minister said the allocated funds were for “at least” 50 million doses, in the event that double doses were required.

While he did not disclose any of the deals made, Khairy said the government aimed to get “a good portfolio of vaccines at a fair price”.

Lim, in a statement later, thanked Khairy for the invitation but said he would not be able to attend the press conference as he was not in town.

However, he said, he would make himself available if Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin were to hold a similar press conference and invite him.

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False price comparisons between us and Belgium have gone viral on WhatsApp recently. With information from the PM’s latest announcement, this is the actual breakdown:

Belgium
Number of vaccine orders = 33.5 million
Doses required = 2 doses /person
Coverage = 33.5 million/2= 16.75 million people
Price paid for 33.5 million doses = RM1.38 billion
Price per person = RM1.38 billion / 16.75 million =RM82.4

Malaysia
Price paid for 26.5 million people = RM2.05 billion
Price per person = RM2.05 billion / 26.5 million = RM77.35

Khairy Jamaluddin
Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation and
Co-Chair of the Special Committee to Guarantee Access to Covid-19 Vaccines