KUALA LUMPUR: Hengyuan Refining Company Bhd (HRC) has become one of the first few companies in Negri Sembilan to participate in the state's Covid-19 vaccination programme.
Located in Port Dickson, the refinery company said the Public-Private Partnership Immunisation Programme (PIKAS) was coordinated by the International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI).
HRC said PIKAS had expedited the vaccination of at least 200 of its employees who had received their first dose between July 13 and July 15 at a designated vaccination centres in Seremban.
HRC expects all its employees to be fully vaccinated by mid-August.
HRC chief government relations officer Zulhazmi Mohamad said the company's immediate priority was to ensure a safe working environment for our employees, contractors and the community we operate within.
"We applaud this joint initiative by Jawatankuasa Khas Jaminan Akses Bekalan Vaksin Covid-19 (JKJAV) and MITI, supported by MIDA Negri Sembilan, as it has helped us accelerate vaccination efforts in achieving herd immunity," he said in a statement today.
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, HRC said it had taken careful measures in managing the health and safety of its employees and contractors.
"We have deployed strict internal standard operating procedures (SOPs), activated split resource operations, and work from home for support staff to minimise face-to-face interaction at site.
"We continuously advocate to our employees and contractors the importance of adhering to health protocols," he added.
He said HRC had organised a virtual session for employees to engage medical practitioners to address concerns and misconception regarding Covid-19 vaccines to drive internal awareness on the vaccination.
With a staff-strength of close to 500 people, the internal advocacies have amplified HRC's vaccination drive, where employees have registered and subsequently received their vaccination appointments via the MySejahtara app, either through the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme or PIKAS.
HRC said the company's refinery had been a valued segment of Port Dickson's social and community fabric since 1963.