KUALA LUMPUR: Khairy Jamaluddin has invited DAP stalwart, Lim Kit Siang to join his press conference after the latter claimed Malaysia was paying 20 times more than Belgium for Pfizer's vaccines.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Minister in a series of tweets said he would hold a press conference tomorrow to explain the vaccine procurement issue.
"PM @MuhyiddinYassin has just announced our updated portfolio of Covid-19 vaccines. After signing deals with COVAX, Pfizer & Astra Zeneca and finalising agreements with Sinovac, CanSino & Gamaleya, we will have vaccines for almost 83% of our population at RM 2.05bn.
"With this announcement, I hope it clears up the misinformation spread by @limkitsiang that we spent RM3bn on just the Pfizer deal alone that covers 20% of our population.
"Here are some details about the vaccines that will be in our portfolio as announced by PM @MuhyiddinYassin. I will hold a press conference tomorrow at Mosti after Cabinet to furnish the public with further information. @limkitsiang is welcome to attend," his tweets read.
Later, he also retweeted a news reports with a caption that read: "Please come to my office tomorrow at 1300hrs @limkitsiang. I will see you after Cabinet. I hope you will find time to meet me."
Meanwhile, the Iskander Puteri member of parliament also released a statement on his blog after Khairy said it was incorrect that Belgium was paying 20 times less for Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine compared to Belgium.
"Dare Khairy say that Malaysia has got Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine only 10 times higher than Belgium, or better still, that Malaysia has got Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine cheaper than Belgium?
Lim explained that his calculation claiming that Malaysia is paying over 20 times higher was based on news reports quoting Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyddin Yassin.
In the news report, he said, Muhyiddin was quoted as saying "the government has started rolling out a RM3 billion plan for enough Covid-10 vaccines to immunise 6.4 million of the population, as soon as the vaccine has been proven safe to use as early as January 2021".
"Now, Khairy says that the RM3 billion was 'our overall estimate to get coverage for at least 70 per cent" of the population. Who is incorrect – Muhyiddin or Khairy?'
He also questioned what the real timing Pfizer vaccines would arrive in the country.
"Malaysians have just been informed that the first batch of Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer would arrive in February next year and not 'as early as January 2021'.
"Could this deadline for the arrival of the first batch of Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer be stretched to March next year?
This is why Malaysians want the government to be truthful, transparent and accountable for its responses to the Covid-19 pandemic, not only with regard to the vaccines, but its variety, price and safety," he said.