SERDANG – A staff member at the Mines International Exhibition Convention Centre (MIECC) vaccination centre (PPV) took to Instagram to voice his frustration after seeing crowds of foreign workers turning up for their appointments at lightning speed.
Speaking to WeirdKaya, he claimed that certain companies had abused loopholes in the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) system to avoid vaccinations costs and jump the queue.
The staff member, who wished to stay anonymous, said his colleagues received around 4,000 vaccines and approximately 3,000 foreign workers came for their jabs.
He also noted that many came from the same factory and company.
Many of them registered in mid-July and received an appointment within 10 days“
The staff member further explained that foreign workers should be registered under Program lmunisasi lndustri COVID-19 Kerjasama Awam-Swasta (PIKAS) but suspected something amiss due to a scarcity of locals at the PPV.
PIKAS is a public-private partnership immunisation program aimed at vaccinating factory workers in certain sub-sectors such as electrical and electronics (E&E), iron and steel, and food processing to name a few.
PICK coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin previously said that employers registered under PIKAS are required to absorb vaccination costs and are barred from charging employees through salary deductions.
