Get back in line, Khairy warns after cases of politicians cutting vaccine queue

There have been cases of state exco members and ministerial officers being listed as vaccine recipients in the first phase of the government’s Covid-19 inoculation programme despite being ineligible for the jab, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has revealed.

He said the cases of queue-jumping had happened despite the registration process where individuals are given a specific date and time to be present at a vaccination centre.

He said incidents had occured at the launch of some state-level vaccination programmes, adding however that these were few in number and had occurred due to a lack of clarity.

“So people just decided to try their luck.”

Khairy said he had also received complaints about some politicians and ministry officers being registered to get the vaccine despite not being considered as frontliners.

“Don’t cut queue, get back in line,” Khairy said in a joint press conference with Health Minister Dr Adham Baba today, adding that his ministry would recommend that the health ministry slap compounds on those who flout the rules.

“Officers of ministers, state excos, menteris besar and political secretaries are not included in Phase 1. They cannot jump the queue.

“Family members of ministers or state excos or elected representatives are also not on the list.”

He said only elected representatives are among the frontliners eligible to receive the vaccination under the first phase.