KUALA LUMPUR: E-hailing drivers, delivery riders and courier delivery personnel will be vaccinated starting July, said National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

He said this in his replied to a question raised by the Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia (DPMM) president Abdul Halim Husin during the virtual engagement session between with the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) today.

"Tomorrow I will be at Port Klang with Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong to launch the vaccination programme for the transport sector starting with the port and cargo operators.

"We will be getting around to e-hailing drivers and food delivery drivers in July, and we will be starting to vaccinate our friends who are in Grab, Foodpanda and all the couriers in July," he said.

Khairy, who is also Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation said the ministry has received a lot different applications for different sectors to be considered as frontliners.

"Of course, the constraint is supply. So now we are starting with the transportation sector," he added.

In regards to the tourism sector, Khairy said the government is now having an accelerated vaccination exercise for Langkawi because the plan is to open up Langkawi as a green bubble for tourists like what have been done in Bali, Indonesia and Phuket, Thailand as a pilot programme.

"So, if that's successful, then we can start opening up to fully vaccinated tourists, and they can fly to Langkawi... they cannot come to mainland but they can do whatever they want there and go back," he said.

Hence, Khairy said the third quarter of 2021 will be a strong and crucial point for vaccination, as towards the end of the third quarter, Malaysia will be in a good position to start transitioning to the third phase of recovery plan.

"I believe we can start thinking about opening borders once countries are also confidence in our management of COVID-19.

"Singapore for instance, I have already been discussing with them in terms of recognition of MySejahtera application, so that we can have a joint recognition of vaccination passport, and now is the matter of Singapore being confidence to open the border with us," he added.

He said this in replied to a question raised by the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry executive director Shaun Cheah, on the timeline the border can be opened.

Meanwhile, answering the Malaysian Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Datuk N Gobalakrishnan's question on constructive solutions to help all the industries to survive during the pandemic, Khairy said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will be making an announcement soon on economic assistance, apart from the National Recovery Plan.

"A big economic assistant package is coming soon," he added.

-- BERNAMA