PETALING JAYA: Kinabatangan MP Bung Moktar Radin, declaring himself a war chief, has volunteered to be the first Malaysian to be tested with the Covid-19 vaccine.
The Sabah deputy chief minister told the Dewan Rakyat this in response to a question from Wong Ling Biu (PH-Sarikei) who asked who the Covid-19 vaccine would be tested on first.
“I offer to be the first person to be tested with the vaccine. I am not afraid because I want to be healthy.
“Let the war chief be the first to get it,” he said, to laughter from other MPs.
Earlier, in debating the federal budget allocation for the health ministry, Wong questioned if the Covid-19 vaccine had been tested in a tropical country and if Malaysia had the facilities to store the vaccine.
Malaysia has signed a preliminary purchasing agreement with Pfizer to buy 12.8 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine. This will cover 20% of Malaysia’s population or 6.4 million people.
The vaccine requires ultra-cold storage at -70 degrees’ Celsius. According to reports quoting the US Food and Drug Administration, six people have died in the late-stage trials of the Pfizer vaccine.
Wong said that once Malaysia got hold of the vaccine, questions will arise over who will be the test subjects.
He said some people have proposed that it first be tested on politicians or national leaders before it is given to the public.
“If we have the vaccine, who will be the test subjects?
“Are we already prepared?” Wong asked, leading to Bung standing up to offer himself.
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