JOHOR BARU: Some 500,000 traders and small business owners are expected to receive their Covid-19 vaccines through mobile vaccine centres (PPV) under the Community Vaccine Mobilisation (Movak) programme starting next month.

       Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin (pic) said Movak was an initiative launched by her ministry and the National Unity Ministry to expedite the process of vaccinating people, especially in rural communities.

       “We have discussed with the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry and obtained its approval to use Movak’s logistics and support system to help vaccinate traders and small businesses.

       “There are almost 500,000 such businesses registered under local authorities nationwide.

       “About 34,000 of them are in Johor, with half of that number in Johor Baru alone,” she said after launching the Movak programmme at a PPV in Taman Adda Heights here yesterday.

       Also present was National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Mohamed Sadique.

       By using the mobile PPV under Movak, Zuraida said the government hoped to speed up the vaccination process for businesses and allow them to continue earning a living.

       The initiative, she added, would start on July 6.

       She noted that 12 buses would be turned into mobile PPV under the Movak programme to facilitate efforts to vaccinate the public, including traders.

       “Apart from providing the mobile PPV, the programme also consists of other units to boost vaccination efforts.

       “This includes a unit where volunteers will call vaccine recipients who missed their appointments, a mobilisation effort to transport people to PPV and an outreach unit to help with vaccine registration,” she said.

       She added that the programme was being carried out by volunteers, including those from the 8,330 Komuniti Rukun Tetangga nationwide.