M'sia negotiating with 10 companies for vaccine - Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is actively negotiating with 10 of the 12 companies whose COVID-19 vaccine is in the third phase of clinical study, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said the government, through the Special Committee on COVID-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee, would evaluate all vaccines, including from Pfizer, to ensure they are safe for use.

"Currently, there are 12 vaccine producers whose vaccine is in phase three trials and the Malaysian government is actively negotiating with 10 of them.

"The government is going to purchase COVID-19 vaccines from multiple sources to ensure enough vaccines for the country. I have been told that we need vaccine supply for at least 60 per cent of the Malaysian population, meaning 18 to 19 million people will be immunised for a start," he told a virtual media conference here today.

He also said there would be no obstacles to private health facilities getting vaccines from approved companies and that the Ministry of Health (MOH) too could supply to the private sector if there is surplus of the vaccine.

He added that the government also encouraged companies producing vaccines to set up factories in the country, adding that special and interesting incentives would be offered to these foreign firms.

Aware of the importance to combat the pandemic, he said the country was also ready to cooperate with any party to become a vaccine producer in the future.

“We have no problem cooperating at the early stage if there are companies out there, such as China, that is interested in looking for partners to carry out research and development… that we encourage.

“There are indeed some incentives and we hope to one day become vaccine producers and not just a consumer of medical material,” he said.

-- BERNAMA