KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 2,082 companies nationwide with 301,050 workers have applied to participate in the the Public-Private Partnership COVID-19 Industry Immunisation Programme (PIKAS) as of June 16, 2021.

"There has been a very encouraging growth in the number of applications. This is one of the signs of the success of the PIKAS programme for industry players," International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said on his official Facebook page.

He recalled that when PIKAS was first introduced on June 12 this year, he was informed that the International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) received applications from 500-plus companies with just 106,591 employees.

More than 1,733 companies with a combined 280,820 employees had registered in PIKAS as of June 16, he said.

Of these, 186 companies were from Penang involving 139,851 workers while 255 companies were from Johor involving 14,357 workers, Azmin said.

To boost the effort, MITI is evaluating other potential vaccination centre (PPV) venues for PIKAS.

"Efforts have been redoubled to accommodate the rising number of applications from companies and hence accelerating the vaccination process for workers in critical sectors," Azmin said.

He said PIKAS at the Bukit Jawi Golf Resort PPV saw the collaboration of 21 manufacturing companies at the Batu Kawan Industrial Park and 16,402 workers were expected to be vaccinated during the programme which began on June 16.

Azmin said more PPVs would be operating in Penang, including a PPV at Equatorial Hotel that would begin on June 28.

He said three PPVs would operate in Bayan Lepas involving multinational companies Intel Technology Sdn Bhd, Jabil Circuits Sdn Bhd and Plexus Manufacturing Sdn Bhd while one more in Batu Kawan involving Inari Amerton Bhd would begin operation after getting the COVID-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) approval.

According to him, the PIKAS PPV in Pengerang, Johor, has also been very well-received by industry players.

"A total of 5,123 workers are expected to be vaccinated at this location, which is under PIKAS's Model 2 or on-site PPV.

"In addition, there will be another PPV in Johor being prepared for operation, which is at the Austin International Convention Centre under Model 1, which is vaccination at common use PPV," he explained.

Azmin expressed hope that the programme would run smoothly and be completed on schedule.

"This will allow us to accelerate the decline in the COVID-19 curve so that the economy can recover and the people can return to normal life," he added.

-- BERNAMA